J.R. Smith wants to be the starting shooting guard for the New York Knicks next NBA season
When it comes to naming some of the best sixth men in the league, J.R. Smith’s stands tall.
The dynamic and talented winger, after a frustrating spell in CBA during the NBA lockout, joined the New York Knicks during last season and instantly made an impact off the bench, while backing up first year shooting guard Iman
Shumpert.
Now that Shumpert is expected to be out for at least a couple of month at the start of next season, J.R. Smith wants to be in the starting five of the Knicks. In fact, he revealed that coming off the bench is something he does
not like;
“I would prefer to start. I would rather be a starter,” he said after Friday’s practice. “My goal was to come in here and be a starter, and play with those other four guys on the floor. It is frustrating after a while that people
see me as a sixth man, sixth man, sixth man, when you believe you’re a starter. But at the same time, you have to understand this is a team game and you have to put individual goals aside.”
Mike Woodson, the Knicks head coach, recently revealed that he would use Raymond Felton at the starting one position and use Jason Kidd off the bench, pretty much ending that issue. But he has not done the same with two-position.
The man expected to give Smith some competition for the place is Ronnie Brewer. The former Chicago Bulls star is an expert on the defensive side and considering that the Knicks struggle mightily in that department, he just might
get the nod ahead of Smith. This would especially the case against offensive powerhouses.
However, Smith is as a talented forward and can create his own scoring opportunities more often than not. With Carmelo Anthony also on the floor, he will definitely get more space and can give the Knicks a formidable option from
the three point range.
Smith agreed that with Anthony on the court, he'll have more freedom;
"My game changes and there are more open shots and more opportunities to get my teammates open,"
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