Dennis Smith Jr. has been promoted to back-up point guard a week ahead of the trade deadline, writes Anthony Rieber of Newsday. Frank Ntilikina has slipped down the rotation in the past two games as Smith has seen an increase in playing time, which could mean the Knicks are showcasing him in hopes of a potential deal. Smith played 14 minutes last night and scored seven points, while Ntilikina was limited to three minutes late in the game. Smith was the first point guard off the bench again tonight.
“I thought [Smith] had a solid outing. Particularly the first turn,” said interim coach Mike Miller said Tuesday. “I thought he really did a good job touching the paint … He set up several shots off of his penetration, scored a couple, ran the team, was good defensively. Yeah. I thought he had a good, solid outing … Dennis has been good. He’s been professional. He’s been getting himself ready and I think he took advantage of his minutes tonight.”
There’s more out of New York:
- Another trade candidate is Allonzo Trier, whose playing time has been cut sharply after a promising rookie season, notes Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News. Trier has gotten into just four games this month and is averaging 12.3 minutes per night after playing 22.8 MPG last year. “He’s had some opportunities here and there, he just hasn’t been real consistent there,” Miller said. “There are many times late in games where we need someone to do something specific, and we call his number to go do it. We have the confidence in him, it’s just we’ve gotta stay ready, see what the game’s gonna dictate and let the guys go out there and do what they do.”
- The Knicks still aren’t showing interest in Pistons center Andre Drummond, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. A source tells Bondy that Detroit is hoping to receive expiring contracts, along with a young prospect or draft pick. Drummond is averaging 17.3 points and a league-best 15.6 rebounds per game, but he has a $29MM player option for next season and the Knicks aren’t interested in a short-term rental. Bondy states that New York could still get involved if the Pistons reduce their asking price.
- Management may decide to keep Marcus Morris, whom they view as their best player, even though the veteran forward has an expiring contract, Bondy adds in the same story. A source says Bobby Portis, who has a $15.75MM team option for next season, is more likely to be dealt.
I can’t believe Marcus Morris is the best player on an nba team.
He wasn’t close to being a best player on the lowly Pistons & now they have his brother. Knicks suck ass & have for so long that I can’t believe people still go to their games.
Man….if Marcus Morris is the best player on your team…sheesh…nuff said.
Knicks clearly have no clue how to operate a team or the trade deadline. Hire Hinkie. Let him instruct you on a proper tank. Right now you have blind operators. Either you play the vets in order to move them or you play the young players. It isn’t hard. Any asset for an expiring contract is an asset. You take on a turd with 1 yr left and a pick(s), you trade that turd the following year. There are enough bad contracts out there to make deals, enough blah players that a team like the Rockets will piece together and attach a 1st to in order to add to a playoff run.
The Stooges are stooges (even without Curly), but what information are they supposed to put out there about a potential Morris trade a week before the deadline? That they’ll trade him in all events regardless of what’s offered? With their history, that would almost preclude a good offer coming in.
Posturing aside, Morris’ NBRs are more valuable than a low 2nd, and if offers include non-expiring contracts, then a trade should be a non-starter regardless (unless there are multiple 1st’s involved). The Stooges do enough things to be critical of (like almost everything they do), I don’t need to criticize them for something (turning down a viable trade for Morris) they haven’t done yet.
Morris is going. There’s enough interest from contenders. His age doesn’t fit the rebuild. They can get a #1 pick. They have a few players they can move. But this management might be gone next yr. so who knows what they’ll do. At this point. Best to be in top 5 for draft.
Player A is worse than player B so A is most likely to be dealt?– other GMs are asking about B and won’t give anything up for A.
Not a Knicks issue, as this thinking is the norm for media.
I mean, if a GM can get away with it, fine. Pretty optimistic though.
Typical Knicks, keep Morris and lose him in the offseason for nothing. Look at Drummond when one of only two players on the whole roster who looks like a long term piece is a Center. Want to move DSJ and Trier, oh I know how we’ll do that, we won’t play them until this week.
The pistons have been 10 points better with Drummond off the floor over the last 24 games. Every since the trade rumors started Drummond has packed it in. At this point the pistons have to get rid of him because of his bad attitude and get whatever they can back even if it’s a used washing machine or something
Everybody thinks they can shoot jumpers but they miss a lot if they would drive to the basket like DSJ do get those layup maybe a foul maybe we can win some games but coach think he has 3 point shooters on team NOT