Members of the New York Knicks would like to see point guard Dennis Smith Jr. “get a legitimate chance to bounce back after an uneven 2019-20 season,” per Ian Begley of SNY TV.
The Knicks acquired Smith Jr. from the Dallas Mavericks during the 2018-19 season in the blockbuster Kristaps Porzingis trade. His name has been brought up in trade talks, but it looks like New York wants to give the youngster one more shot to succeed in The Big Apple.
As we get closer to the draft, free agency and as trade talks heat up, there’s something worth noting about the Knicks’ point guard situation: Dennis Smith Jr. still has significant support in the organization and there are people with the Knicks would like to see Smith Jr. get a legitimate chance to bounce back after an uneven 2019-20 season.
Smith Jr., an explosive athlete, has appeared in 55 games with the Knicks. He's averaging just 9.0 points and 3.9 assists while shooting 38.3 percent from the field, 29.2 percent from beyond the arc and 54.3 percent from the free-throw line.
The Knicks are under new leadership in president Leon Rose and head coach Tom Thibodeau. Smith Jr. was the ninth overall pick by the Mavs in the 2017 draft. He is in danger of being a bust if he can't get his career together quickly.
New York has the eighth overall pick in the 2020 draft. It's going to be fascinating to see who the Knicks select. The franchise has been a walking disaster since the 2012-13 season, the last year the Knicks had a winning record and made the playoffs.
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