The New York Knicks were optimistic about acquiring Dennis Smith Jr. from the Dallas Mavericks. A year later, he was nearly traded.
The New York Knicks have spent the better part of the past 30 years struggling to find consistency at point guard. Mark Jackson resembled a franchise point guard early in his career, but since that relationship ended, there’s been a carousel of players at the position.
When the Knicks traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks, the hope arose that the search had finally ended.
The Knicks acquired multiple draft picks from the Mavericks, but Dennis Smith Jr. was the prized acquisition. He projected to be able to fill the void at point guard with a well-rounded skill set and the explosive athleticism that’s long been missing in New York.
Unfortunately, Smith has struggled to live up to the expectations that have been set for him.
Smith impressed early on, averaging 14.7 points and 5.4 assists per game during his first 21 appearances with the team. He appeared in just 34 games in 2019-20, however, shooting an abysmal 34.1 percent from the field and 29.6 percent from three-point range.
According to Ian Begley of SNY, Smith was nearly traded by the Knicks at the 2020 NBA Trade Deadline—and may have only been saved by Steve Mills’ departure.
"A few weeks before the 2020 trade deadline, some people with the Knicks felt that it was a near certainty that Smith Jr. was going to be traded, per SNY sources.But days before the deadline, Steve Mills was removed as team president. That probably prevented a Smith Jr. trade from happening."
Per Begley, the Knicks had a potentially interested trade partner:
"Maybe another organization — such as Orlando, which had some interest in Smith Jr. prior to the deadline — would be a better fit for the young guard?"
The question is: Was Smith saved by Mills’ departure and the uncertainty that followed it? Or does he have a new ally in Leon Rose?
That question will require time before it’s answered, but it’s worth pondering. Smith is one of the more explosive athletes that the NBA has to offer at the point guard position, and his struggles in 2019-20 require the context that may have caused them.
Smith battled injuries throughout the season and endured off-court tragedy when his stepmother passed away in October
As such, it’s hard to label Smith as a lost cause for the Knicks, nor any other franchise. There are areas in which he needs to improve, but he faced adversity that was beyond his control during the 2019-20 campaign and is still just 22 years of age.
The fact that the Knicks had an interested trade partner implies that those around the NBA continue to believe there’s room for growth.
The question is: Will Leon Rose give Dennis Smith Jr. an opportunity to improve as a member of the New York Knicks?