The Knicks have inked deals with some very intriguing names heading into training camp as they attempt to fill out the backend of their roster. Landry Shamet, Malcolm Brogdon, and Garrison Mathews are among the more notable names who will be vying for the same spot. Stefan Bondy of the New York Post recently reported that a familiar name could be joining them, as the Knicks have invited Dennis Smith Jr. for a workout.
Smith Jr., of course, played for New York for part of a three-year span from the 2018-19 season through the start of the 2020-21 season. He last played in the NBA for the Brooklyn Nets in the 2023-24 season, where he appeared in 56 games, averaging 6.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game.
Last season, Smith Jr. was prepared to play overseas for Real Madrid in Spain, before his season was ultimately cut short due to an injury.
Smith Jr.'s career in New York was a letdown
Smith Jr. came into the league as an athletic specimen with incredible potential. He was a centerpiece in the package that the Knicks received when they shipped Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks in early 2019.
Ultimately, Smith Jr.'s time in New York was underwhelming due to injuries and personal situations, which eventually kept him out of the Knicks' lineup altogether before he was eventually moved to the Detroit Pistons in a deal that brought Derrick Rose to the Knicks. Ironically enough, Rose was a player that Smith Jr. drew comparisons to when he entered the league, due to his above-the-rim play and incredible athleticism.
Smith Jr.'s defense is intriguing
Smith Jr.'s shooting never got to a consistent point during his career. He has never shot better than 34.4 percent from three, and most recently shot just 29.4 percent from three with the Nets. That said, as Bondy noted in his piece, Smith Jr. has "reinvented himself as a defensive specialist."
During the 2023-24 NBA season with the Nets, Smith Jr. ranked in the 99th percentile in Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus, posting a +2.6 mark, which ranked sixth in the entire league. The year before that, which Smith Jr. spent with Charlotte, he posted a +2.8 Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus, again in the 99th percentile.
The Knicks only have room to sign one more veteran on a minimum deal. If they want to keep multiple players whom they are inviting to camp, they will need to clear space through a trade.