Chris Smith sees an opening as the Knicks backup point guard and believes he can fill the role.
With Jason Kidd now the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets and Pablo Prigioni’s status unclear, Smith wants to prove during summer league action that he’s ready for the job as Raymond Felton’s backup.
“I hope to be the backup point guard,” Smith told SNY.tv Monday. “I really do see an opportunity.”
Smith, the younger brother of Knicks’ free agent shooting guard J.R. Smith, will play on the Knicks’s Las Vegas summer league entry, as will guard Iman Shumpert.
Chris Smith was waived by the Knicks on Oct. 26 after undergoing left patella tendon surgery. The former Louisville and Manhattan player spent the season rehabbing his surgically-repaired knee at the Knicks’ facilities, and told SNY.tv in January he hoped to return to the team next season.
The younger Smith recently parted ways with agent Marc Cornstein and signed with Leon Rose, who also reps J.R. The Smiths and Rose all hail from South Jersey.
Meantime, J.R. Smith will opt out of his contract with the Knicks on Tuesday and test the free agent market.
J.R. is a New Jersey native who prefers to remain with the Knicks, but he could make more money — possibly $6 million annually — elsewhere.
If J.R. leaves the Knicks it would seem unlikely that Chris would remain. For now, he’s just hoping for an opportunity.
“It [playing backup point guard] is a goal of mine,” Chris told SNY.tv. “I am happy with a spot to do what they ask of me.”
