Knicks: Available Free Agents Who Should Be Targeted

Josh Smith, UFA

Position: Forward
Age: 30 (12/5/1985)
Slash Line: .364/.287/.552
Season Averages: 16.0 MPG, 6.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.0 ORPG, 1.6 APG, 0.9 BPG, 0.6 SPG

The New York Knicks have an opportunity to gamble on a player who may not work out, but has a high ceiling. Josh Smith certainly fits the bill as a skilled and athletic forward who can play and defend multiple positions..

Smith is far from the player he was with the Atlanta Hawks, but New York doesn’t have much to lose by signing him.

From 2006-07 to 2012-13, Smith averaged 16.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.1 offensive boards, 3.5 assists, 2.1 blocks, and 1.4 steals per game. He was named to the 2010 All-Defensive Second Team, and became the youngest player to record at least 1,000 career blocks.

Unfortunately, over the past three seasons, Smith has averaged just 12.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.1 steals on 41.2 percent shooting from the field.

The reality is, Smith’s inefficiency is what has caused his value to plummet—not his skill set. He relies far too heavily on his midrange game and doesn’t attack the basket as much as he can and should.

If Jeff Hornacek believes he can maximize Smith’s potential—see: Gerald Green—then the Knicks should offer Smith a one-year deal worth the veteran’s minimum.

Next: Low Risk, High Reward