In an interview, New York Knicks guard Dennis Smith Jr. said he is excited about the upcoming season but knows there is something to prove.
The offseason’s end is around the corner, as the New York Knicks will meet for training camp on Tuesday, Sept. 30. It starts the road to the regular season, with the preseason in between, and allows preparation for what is potentially ahead.
One of a few Knicks with an important season ahead, Dennis Smith Jr. enters his first training camp with the team after arriving in a January trade. He is one of multiple players contesting for a role later this month on a full roster.
Exciting for the upcoming campaign, Smith anticipates what he can build with this team and thinks there is potential for them to win some games, per an interview with YouTube’s Chris Henderson (h/t The New York Daily News for transcription):
"“Our team, it’s really a group of guys that wanna hoop, compete at a high level and win games,” he said. “I think if we build this identity early of a real selfless team that’s gonna scrap on both ends of the court, I think we can be pretty good this year, and then build on that for years to come.”"
Of course, the outlook is greater than the 2018-19 team that won 17 games, lost 18 consecutive and struggled to play competitively. So accumulating more victories should be something Smith and company strive for. Building on that creates a better reputation for an organization that has not done much winning over the past six years.
The North Carolina State product is also aware of his individual significance to this season. He feels he has “something to prove” and wants to become a leader this fall:
"“It’s just been relentless work. I feel like I’ve got something to prove,” he said. “I’ve got a chip on my shoulder still, but I’ve just been working. I try to attack each day and look at it as if I didn’t leave anything on the table. I got the most out of my day. … I’m gonna come in, bring that into training camp and be a leader, lead by example, earn my respect from these guys and then carry that into the season.”"
Smith is not exactly in an elder statesmen role on this team; he is 21 years old. However, with so many moving parts over the summer, it makes sense for him to step in to offer familiarity. Even more so with the number of players at his age or younger.
There is much for the third-year pro to work towards, including the starting point guard job. Elfrid Payton, a newcomer from free agency on an $8 million salary, will compete with him for the spot. It makes the upcoming prep for the season important for the holdover, who has a fourth-year team option in late October, as well. A healthy, positive start will make it an easier decision for the New York Knicks.