Random Thoughts: Playoffs, JR Smith

by Chris Alvino on May 22nd, 2009 at 1:02 am

First of all, how good have these playoff games been this year?  Both conference finals series are going to be fantastic.  The Nuggets are for real.  Carmelo Anthony’s star is really starting to shine bright nowadays.

Speaking of the playoffs, one player that I have kept a close eye on for a few years has been Denver’s JR Smith.  When he was with the Hornets, he jumped onto the national stage during the dunk contest.  Traded to the Bulls and then to the Nuggets, Smith finally found a home beside another seeming malcontent, Carmelo Anthony.  At only 23 years old, Smith is developing into a big scorer.  Different scouts and GMs will tell you that when Smith is on his game, he is close to unstoppable.  Smith shot close to 40% from beyond the arc this year.  His elite athleticism and his ability to make the acrobatic shot allow him to show glimpses of superstardom (I’m not sure if that is even a word).  When Smith is at his best, he can score on anyone and can take over a game like an Anthony or a Kobe (a bit of a stretch, but the point is that he can dominate at times).  He has that kind of talent.

So I ask my fellow Knick fans, how good would this guy be on our team?  I have said for a while that he would be an all-star under D’Antoni.  His athletcism, his defensive ability, his ability to bring the ball up the floor, and his shooting stroke would make him a big-time player.  Smith is a player that is at his best when he gets into a rythym.  To get into that rythym, he needs to put up a bunch of shots.  Under D’Antoni, Smith would be able to throw up a ton of shots very quickly.

I am not saying that Denver will look to trade him.  I am simply stating that Smith, despite being a headcase, would work very well on this team.  For a team lacking a true shooting guard, Smith could step right in and deliver for a very reasonable price.  If the Knicks end up taking Curry at 8, Smith might be a good complement because of his ability to break down a defense and make plays.  While he is not a distributor, he can break down a defense and find a guy like Curry on the perimeter.  Likewise, Curry can break down a defense and find Smith out there.  Perhaps Denver decides to throw a boatload of money at Lee this summer and the Knicks need to sign and trade Lee to Denver.  Smith, cap filler player, and a 2010 1st roudner for Lee?

Obviously one major problem would be whether or not Walsh and D’Antoni would want to deal with a headcase.  Can they deal with a JR Smith?  Also, just to catch myself before I sound too crazy, there is a reason why Smith is not a superstar.  I’m not sure his psyche has allowed it yet.  Smith has not been consistent enough, especially before this year, to be a go-to guy.  I am not sure if that is a product of his youth, his playing in Melo’s shadow, or his being surrounded by characters like Kenyon Martin, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Andersen, etc.  One game Smith can drop 40.  The next he can get lost.  While I talked about his ability above, that ability only shows when he is on his game.  I just happen to think that he is a budding star and will get more consistent.

Just a thought.

About Chris Alvino

Chris Alvino grew up in Crestwood, NY. He graduated from Regis High School in 2005. There he played both basketball and baseball. Chris is currently a student at Boston College, where he practices with the varsity Women's Basketball Team (... seriously). Chris has been a Knicks' fan for years and can literally talk about them all day long, every day of the week. Chris enjoys writing on this blog and seeing what everyone out there has to say about it. View all posts by Chris Alvino →
  • Funk

    big fan of jr smith. been following him a few years myself, i think he would fit great under d’antoni. how hard would it be to keep a guy like him happy when you let him shoot 20-25 shots a night and play 35+ minutes. He is also a great defender and a very good ball handler.

    I read on realgm.com that the bulls are looking to shop tyrus thomas and kirk hinrich for an elite power forward. Maybe we could ship lee+more to chicago? link: http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/59293/20090521/tyrus_days_as_a_bull_numbered/

  • Chris Alvino

    A blogger from Rotoinfo thinks that the Knicks can offer Al Harrington and Q Rich for Tim Thomas and Ty Thomas. Not happening. If Walsh and D’Antoni like Ty Thomas, I would take on Hinrich only if Chicago took back Jared Jeffries. Hinrich only makes about 2 million more than JJ, and Hinrich would be a great fit for this team. He showed in the Boston series that he is still a very capable player. I have always like Hinrich.

    If the Bulls would take Harrington and JJ for Ty and Hinrich, I would consider dipping into the 2010 fund.

    Hinrich
    8th pick
    Chandler
    Lee
    Thomas

    http://nbawire.rotoinfo.com/2009/05/21/tyrus-thomas-anyone/

  • Mucha

    I’m not trying to disrespect anybody but I find it funny that a lot of people didn’t want to see Carmelo Anthony in blue and orange. Honestly, I was like “What the hell are these guys smoking” haha, I mean Melo is clearly a “once in a generation” player and a top 5 player in this league.

    JR Smith will be really good in the near future by the way, he’s just inconsistent but he has everything in my opinion.

  • Mucha

    Tyrus Thomas is overrated in my opinion. He’s not strong enough to be a power forward, he doesn’t have enough skills to be a shooting forward. Why the hell would Donnie Walsh take Hinrich’s horrible contract (even if you dump Jeffries you still have to add a couple million dollars) for an overrated player?

    This is just a bad move in my opinion, no disrespect Chris.

  • BigBlueAL

    No thanks on J.R. Smith. He is a taller version of Nate Robinson who it seems pretty clear now that D’Antoni does not want on his team. I think the biggest misconception about D’Antoni’s offense is that it is suited for someone like J.R. Smith who is just a gunner on offense.

    This offense is NOT like say Golden State’s offense which is a place where someone like J.R. Smith would thrive. D’Antoni’s offense is alot more about ball movement and passing. Thats the reason toward the end of the season Nate and Harrington’s playing time was dwindling because D’Antoni couldnt handle the mindless shooting anymore. Also I think Chandler’s improved play toward the end of the season was due to his much better shot selection. To me that is why Gallinari was so successful in his +/- because he either took a good shot or immediately passed the ball to generate ball movement which is why the offense flowed so well with him on the floor.

    I think that is why you read so much about why D’Antoni loves Steph Curry because this season in particular he showed how good a passer and penetrator he was. Also about his D, I think it is overrated. Heck Larry Hughes is a much better defender than J.R. Smith.

    Dont get me wrong if they somehow acquired him for nothing why not, but I highly doubt J.R. Smith is a player Walsh and D’Antoni are looking to acquire. Just my opinion though.

  • pedro

    who cares about smith. don’t like him, it’s a taller version of nate robinson. a problem waiting to happen.

    according to spanish newspaper marca (marca.com), there’s no way he plays for Memphis. Same source says, his agent is looking for Sacramento, but according to marca, sacramento does not fit rubio plans. The city of Sacramento is too far away from LA, too far from the bench and the city itself is smaller than the current city he lives in Spain.

    Buyouy clause it’s still a problem, so he needs to be drafted in top 3. so either the knicks trade up, ends up in the la clipers or maybe he stays put.

  • BiggieSmalls

    No thanks to JR Smith. We have Chuck em up Larry in the house already.

    Nice find on the marca.com piece (i think). Whatever did the agent think that Sac Town would be an acceptable destination for Los Pistola?

    Not sure how we move up to 2 (or three is Memphis is taking Thabeet) in order to swing Ricky. The price (vs staying at 8 and grabbin Curry) may be too high.

    Considering what OKC is discussing for moving from three to gran Griffin I think Ricky is a long shot in orange and blue.

    Agreed on Ty Thomas. We have taken on enough Chi Town head cases in the past five years.

  • BiggieSmalls

    Mucha – Melo is definitely putting it together and stepping up his game . Especially since AI was jettisoned.

    He is growing into an elite player no question. No idea how DW would have gotten him even when Denver was in flux he was the key chip on that team and untouchable.

  • Jeff Cykiert

    I agree with the JR=taller Nate comparison. It’s not entirely accurate, but the idea is that we should be looking for high IQ players with solid attitudes; that is the blueprint

    T-Thomas is getting better, he is developing his jump shot pretty well and since he is on a rookie contract i wouldn’t complain, but I wouldn’t say I am very interested.

    Hinrich, on the other hand, is a GREAT player in my opinion. He is the perfect kind of guard who could come in and play the point, but also shift to the 2 as he is a very good defender at both spots. He is very smart, willing to play whatever role he is assigned, and has very good play making abilities. When he has the ball in his hands, i just trust him. I think Mike D would LOVE him, and so would I.

    If we could get Hinrich while getting rid of Jeffries, i think it would be a blessing in disguise, but obviously we don’t take on that contract without unloading JJ.

  • nyknicks20107

    the idea that denver would ever send smith and a 1st rounder for lee is absolutely ridiculous. lee alone isn’t worth a 1st round pick to any sane GM. i love the site but the trade ideas that get posted on here give the knicks players way too much credit at times.

    smith and a filler maybe, but they’d never throw in a 1st rounder.

  • Chris Alvino

    Denver offered TWO first round picks and Chucky Atkins at the deadline. Not worth 1 first rounder? Not sure about that.

    And on the Ty Thomas situation, Mucha, I simply wrote above that I would not be against taking back Hinrich, who is a good player, if the Bulls took on JJ. But before that, I noted that I would only do it if DW and MD thought that Ty Thomas could blossom here. I would then make the deal for both of them.

    If MD and DW do not like Ty, then forget about the deal. I am not saying that I am in love with Thomas’ game. I am not saying that I would make the move necessarily. It would not be awful though if the guys upfront thought Ty Thomas could come in here and continue to block shots and develop into a legit 12 ppg, 8 rpg, and 2 bpg threat.

    Mucha, you’re right. That would add about 8 million to our 2010 pot. The Knicks would still have enough to get one major talent, but not 2. If banking on getting two major talents means that much to this team (and that is not a guarantee with the cap number in flux), then this trade does not make sense. But DW wants a shot-blocker. There are not many out there.

  • BiggieSmalls

    I cant believe DW would turn down 2 firsts and Atkins for Lee. I thought the Deal was centered around Kleiza for Lee.

    Ty Thomas is coming along. But he seems to me to be more of a 4 than a 5

    And the Hinrich contract is an absolute albatross. I agree with DW that players can be good at one cap number and horrible at another. And I too am sick of dealing with Chicago’s dreck.

    Im not crazy about dumping Jeffries at the first opportunity. I mean he proved servicable if used correctly and while overpaid his contract number isnt way crazy in the grand scheme of things. I could live with him as a reserve on this team next year.

  • jcmoney

    Tyrus Thomas is a different breed of power foward that fits this team perfectly. He is super athletic, can run up and down the court, and can guard not just PFs but some swingmen. He can hit a jump shot and can definitely block some shots. And he’s very young and still has time to add to his frame.

    I think he would be the perfect 3/4 for this team post-Lee.

  • jcmoney

    I don’t believe that Denver offered two first rounders and Atkins for Lee. As biggie said, all the talk was about Kleiza for Lee straight up, and Kleiza is a restricted FA too.

    To pass up even one first rounder for Lee would be dumb, but two pass up two plus a serviceable back up point guard would have been ridiculous.
    I don’t see anyone offering a first rounder for Lee any more, hopefully he doesnt go for free.

    I also think you have to get rid of Jeffries at 7 mil in 2010, even though he actually was a serviceable player. You dont know when you are going to be able to dump him again, and i think there is much better value at 7 mil a year.

    Lastly, JR Smith. I have followed his career since being drafted, and Ive always been fond of him. He seemed like the prototypical shooting guard. 6’6, super athletic, jumps all over the place, good from long range. Sometimes he just lets his attitude get in the way. I think it was last season that he was putting up strings of 20 point games but still managed to get benched a few times in between. Would I put him on our team? You bet. He could fit into that Nate role of coming in and just throwing the defense off their game with a few quick threes or nasty dunks. Then hopefully with some maturity he can become a long term option at the two.

  • nyknicks20107

    agreed with the previous two posts, i have a hard time believing that they offered 2 first rounders. but if you’re right then credit to you and i’m way off the mark on d lee

  • kaanon

    I play a lot of video games. I always put Smith on the Knicks. He can be unstoppable.

  • Mucha

    I’m not saying that he was available, but THEORICALLY a lot of people didn’t want to see Melo play for the Knicks when we talked about him.

  • Mucha

    David Lee alone is more valuable than a bench player and two first round draft picks in the late-twenties in my opinion.

  • Chris Alvino

    He is a 4. A very good shot-blocking 4. You’re right there.

  • Chris Alvino
  • Mucha

    This would have been such a bad move.

  • nyknicks20107

    i wouldn’t be so quick to believe everything you read, but again if it was true props to you and i wish we had done it. lee’s a joke on defense

  • BiggieSmalls

    i didnt want him because of the brawl a few years ago.. when he ran backwards away from Jeffries after cold cocking Mardy

  • BiggieSmalls

    eh.. i wanted it back then and I dont think Donnie could get it today

    two more #1s would look real good right about now.

    Unless Lee signs for under 6 mil a year the correct play was to do the Atkins and draft pick deal.

    After All, if Lebron comes in 2010 Lee isnt a starter anymore and he isnt a 5 we’ve learned.

    Thos two Denver #1s would have been great assets on draft day.