Big man Jason Smith is eager to make a name for himself this season, and there might not be a better opportunity for him to do so than with the New York Knicks.
The veteran, entering his seventh year in the league and first in the Big Apple, is excited for a new opportunity in a new system. He is looking for a chance to propel his career to the next level. He has been vocal so far in the preseason about how he wants to do anything to help the team, and he has been successful in doing so in the the preseason, slowly making himself the front-runner to be the team’s starter at power forward.
Who would have thought in the summer, when the Knicks signed the 7-footer to a one-year deal, that he would be in this position at this point? Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher may have predicted this in part because they have a basketball genius that not too many people have, and because Smith isn’t half bad, especially for their system.
Smith is not your traditional forward/center, and that is a not bad by any means. He is very intelligent and possesses the ability to stretch the floor well, knocking down consistent jumpers 15-17 feet from the basket. This is something essential to any team’s well being nowadays, especially for a team that loves to bunch the floor like sardines.
In two preseason games in the triangle offense, Smith has made eight of his 16 shots, averaging 10 points per game along with 4.5 rebounds. That type of efficiency is something the Knicks can benefit from. His pick-and-pop abilities have already caused trouble for opposing defenses and should continue to do so. The ability to screen on and off ball, combined with a consistent jumper, will help open up the floor for the Knicks, benefiting not only Smith but also his teammates. He will continue to have a profound effect on the offense’s success.
The power forward position is arguably the biggest question mark for the Knicks heading into the season. With the two overpaid and expiring contracts of Andrea Bargnani and Amar’e Stoudemire on the books, it was only natural to think that one of those two would take on the starting role while the other follows on the bench. With Stoudemire displaying no signs of efficiency (9-of-26 from the field in five preseason games) to go along with below-average defense, and the fact that Bargnani has played just once this preseason due to a lingering hamstring injury, Smith has seemingly walked into the spot, answering at least some of the questions.
With an expiring contract as well, Smith could be headed toward a bigger contract than those two studs in the summer of 2015.
I can’t say for sure that Smith will be the Opening Day starter. He is clearly making a good case for it, and Fisher hasn’t ruled it out by any means. There are a lot of factors that will go into it, but there is no doubt the guy has earned a significant role to start off the season. His role will ultimately be determined by how Fisher wants to balance the units, but whether it be off the bench or in the starting lineup, Smith will play significant minutes for the Knicks this season.
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