[Knicksboy42Participant]

Alright, J.R. Smith is a Knick, but what do we do know? I’m assuming the Knicks will cut Mike Bibby to create a spot for him. With Smith, we add a good shooter, to a team that’s 26th in three point shooting. Even with his role, I still want Smith to come off the bench, but he’s gonna start. 

Here’s the rotation I believe New York will throw out : Lin, Smith, Anthony, Stoudemire, Chandler/ Fields, Shumpert, Jeffries, Harrelson/Novak/Davis/Douglas ( Last four guys will split time)

You laugh when I say this, but the Knicks could matchup with almost every team in the East. They play Miami tough, they play Chicago tough. Other then Indiana, I think the Knicks have something here. Do I think New York will make the finals? No, but could NY make the second round, then battle tough in the second round? Yes, and that’s a huge improvement. As a Knicks fan, I REALLY want Chicago in round two. Other then Rose, and maybe Deng, I think we could now go 6-7 games with them. Jared Jeffries (who drew like 11 charges in this 7 game win streak), will be a huge factor. If Jeffries could be the defender off the bench, I think NY could be so interesting. 

Another then I want to address is the big man issue. I think the Knicks need another one. Novak is a three point shooter, and only that. I love Jorts, but he floats on the perimeter a little too much for my liking. I don’t know who we can flip, but guys like Bill Walker and Toney Douglas could be traded for the right big. The one player I’m targeting is Anthony Tolliver. Throw a big man like Tolliver to flank Amar’e and Chandler, and now the Knicks have some bigs. 

Overall, what are your thoughts? 

[torontoraptors10Participant]

They are cutting Renaldo Balkman.

How do you think the Knicks are going to handle a ball dominant Carmelo Anthony and what J.R Smith has been labelled as "selfish" player?

[PulseGlazerParticipant]

Okay, that rotation is larger than what D’Antoni uses, but the Knicks just went from a team in need of depth to a quite deep squad.  I think Smith has to start – with Lin, Amare and Carmelo, his floor spacing will be invaluable.  They don’t need a second big, as Novak and Jefferies are capable of backing up those spots (Amare moves to the 5 with Jeffries at the 4, Chandler and Novak play wonderfully together).  JR is capable of moving to the three to accomidate minutes for Fields or Shumpert, and Shumpert should be acceptable backing up at the 1 until Baron is back.  Douglas, unfortunately, loses his rotation spot, as he’s playing worst, and with Novak’s emergence, Jeffries minutes will come down.  Walker has been playing great, but unfortunately, unless the Knicks are on the end of a back to back or in one of this year’s brutal stretches, Melo’s return will limit him.  I’m not doing the math right now but here’s what I’d like to see minute wise:

Chandler – 34, Amare 34, Melo 36, JR 30, Lin 36, Shumpert and Fields 15-20 each depending on how they’re playing, Jeffries 6-10, Novak 14.

[The Scare Crow ReturnsParticipant]

He should have signed in Minnesota or LA to be honest, I like him in New York but I felt like he would have been huge in The Clippers line up or the answer at Sg for the Wolves…I think the Knicks would be best served to use JR as a 6th man, as they have offensive options in the starting lineup with Melo and Amare, I also like the Ivy League backcourt right now(and Fields is on my fantasy Team, lol)…I think Smith would have been a perfect starter for LAC or Minnesota but in New York he’ll need to be 6th man…

also as a Sixers fan first and foremost, I pray we get to play NEW YORK in the 1st round, maybe a 4 vs 5 matchup…I believe we match up very well with New York…I agree though that NY can give Miami a run largely because I believe Melo and Lebron will get into a scoring duel, I like Amare and Chandler more than Bosh and Anthony and if Smith and Company can help them out the scoring department it could be interesting… 

[Knicksboy42Participant]

I don’t want them to cut Balkman, but it makes sense.  I think the Knicks should make J.R. the sixth man, just to eliminate both he and Melo on the court too much. The object is to keep the ball from stopping, Melo could do it, but Smith will have to fall in line. 

I actually like that min break down Glazer. Makes alot of sense, but I rather have Jared get Novak’s min and vice-versa. 

Scarecrow, I thought LAC was best for him too. 

[So raspyParticipant]

 I love the pick up, I don’t think you can go wrong with a micro-wave player like JR, and I feel Carmelo has been much better with deferring to teammates this year. Both Melo and JR are players you can give the ball to when things break down offensively and they’ll make something happen. Did you read that he was going to start somewhere? because I’ve felt since this talk began that he was going to be considered the 6th man behind Landry. Just seems to make more sense for him to play with the second team as to utilize his shoot first mentality, rather than have him, melo, amare, and now lin out there together.

If they all gel together smoothly (which I believe they will faster than ppl think), if Lin continues to play like this (which it seems he will), and if they stay healthy, I totally expect them to make a run in the playoffs. Always alot of "ifs" in basketball tho

[thparadoxParticipant]

 

The Knicks have some great talent now. Say what you want about JR and Baron, but they’ve both got loads of talent.

I think the Knicks could definitely knock off a team in the East (probably everyone by miami). But it’s a volatile group of players…. the type of team that could dominate an opposing team or just as easily get swept.

JR does have a selfish STYLE of play. I’m not sure he’s actually selfish. He’s had a similar role Jamal Crawford as a scorer off the bench. But when you compare them, Crawford takes  a lot of midrange shots, and shoots the 3 at a lower percentage. JR is a much more efficient player… only taking 3s and layups.

So as scary as JR Smith is from a chemistry perspective, he’s the type of player that make a huge difference to a playoff team. I think his role as a scorer off the bench is more appropriate for this team, but only to distribute possessions better. he should still be getting 30-35 mpg.

[JNixonParticipant]

 Alot of offense with Lin, Melo, Amare and J.R. Smith. Not any real good defenders on the team though, outside of Chandler roaming and blocking shots. But they have a Mike D’Antoni squad now and it will probably save his job after that came in question when Toney Douglas was starting 

[Mr. 19134Participant]

 Well I just figured out how this probably happened.  First off Leon Rose is Carmelo’s agent too and the Knicks hopped on his junk the second he landed in America from China.  The Knicks played their hand to perfection.

Smith’s camp, run by agent Leon Rose, will tell you that the Knicks can offer more money than the others ($2.5 million to $1.5 million) due to a salary-cap exception. And that the Knicks are promising that Smith would be the perfect complement to point guard Jeremy Lin, and give them depth. And that the Clippers are telling him he’d be perfect beside Chris Paul and Blake Griffin at Staples Center. Oregonian 



Things got so interesting Thursday that Smith hopped a plane from China to LAX, arriving at the airport in the late afternoon, where he was intercepted, his camp said, by a representative for the Knicks. Smith was apparently headed later in the evening to Las Vegas, and according to a source in Smith’s family, the Knicks bought a ticket for their guy and sent him along, too. Oregonian 

Read more: http://www.insidehoops.com/nba_rumors.shtml#ixzz1merMdwGK

[NYK2010Participant]

Why would you start him, Fields has been starting since he came into the league doesn’t make sense to change the lineup.  They already will be adjusting to when Mello comes back.  This means guys like Toney Douglas and Bill Walker will get less mins which isn’t a big deal.  I would cut Balkman as they have enough at SF with Mello, Novak and Walker.

[hubhubParticipant]

 Not a chance that Smith will start. They need a good defender with Lin in the backcourt and Carmelo and Amare at the wings. Smith will come with Shumpert of the bench. Looks nice on paper.

[NYCrealdealParticipant]

i love the emotion lin fields and tyson bring the starting 5. and all three have great chemistry. bring j.r off the bench where he knows what his job is…to score.

[sheltwon3Participant]

Fields and Lin chemestry is too strong not to factor in but I do know that Fields is professional enough to come off the bench with no problems.  That being said JR Smith needs shots and is not a strong defender so he would be a better fit coming off the bench with a offensive chanlleged line up of Jeffries, Shumpert, Novak, Harrelson.

I don’t think Baron Davis is coming back this season.  He looks too out of shape.  He may play some in the playoff is he is better but I doubt it.  JR Smith can score enough to increase bench scoring.  I would limit him to 20 -25 minutes though because his defense is not proven and he is not as stable as Fields on the court.

Fields

Shumpert

Jeffries

Chandler

and whomever is Knicks best defensive line up.

[Steven]

 if they start JR Smith over fields i will be really pissed. if it aint broke, dont fix it. what i mean is the lin/fields back court are playing great… why change it up, when jr smith has came off the bench in his career before already… so it wouldnt be anything new. bring smith off the bench for instant scoring… period.

[Jlv2012]

Can he defend?

[HitsterParticipant]

JR Smith made a good career in Denver as a 6th man so I assume he does that role for the Knicks. Also with Melo, STAT, Lin and Chandler in the starting 5 then he’d not get a lot of shots, so I feel it’s better that he becomes part of the 2nd unit. Plus with the flexability in Coach D’Antoni’s line up minutes can be shared around and the top guys don’t need to be playing excessive minutes.

[Author]

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