I have been waiting for this topic to come up within the Knicks organization. Apparently I am not the only one either, judging by some comments made by General Managers from around the league. I have personally wondered since last season what provoked the Knicks to keep JR Smith’s younger brother Chris, around the team. He clearly is not an NBA player. That is not a diss, it is just a fact. What makes this story more concerning is it seems members of the actual Knicks staff also are wondering why he is there. Hit the jump.
@IamJoeSports
Reports are saying the following:
“Within the Knicks coaching staff, they believe Chris Smith doesn’t even have the talent to be an NBA Development League player—never mind worthy of a roster spot. One opposing GM called him “maybe the worst player in the history of the NBA summer league.”
It concerns me that even members of the Knicks do not believe he has NBA level talent. So why has he been given two separate guaranteed contracts?? The team owes him $490,180 for this current season alone, even if he never plays or is eventually released. These are the type of things that turn into something bigger down the road. Why would ownership have him make the team? Obviously the coaches will never put him into a game if they believe he can’t play. Coach Mike Woodson even said last month that the fact his older brother JR was on the team would help Chris’s chances to make the team. That sounds like ownership is forcing the younger smith down the throats of the coaches. I have said since last year that he has NBA D-League talent at best, and maybe not even that. Unfortunately the Knicks franchise has become a joke in the way it is run. Nothing they do surprises me anymore.
