New York Knicks - The J.R. Smith Factor

Coach Mike Woodson counsels J.R. Smith

Updating this post on November 4, 2012 to recommend reading Jonathan Abrams September 20, 2012 Grantland article on J.R. Smith - "The Miseducation of J.R. Smith." After reading Abrams post, I went on a tweeting binge about J.R. Smith - Here's a link to those tweets - CG's thoughts on J.R. Smith.  Told Nate Jones aka @JonesOnTheNBA that if J.R. has the right coach believing in him - look out - combination of Mike Woodson and Jason Kidd could be the trick. This was in response to Jones' comment as he was watching the New York Knicks play Philadelphia 76ers that it's "crazy how just adding Jason Kidd has caused the New York Knicks to want to share the ball." My initial response to Jones' on that topic is that it isn't crazy at all - Kidd's a leader and has the respect of all.  Playing the right way is infectious. The Knicks appear to be creating a positive team culture.

Howard Beck of the New York Time did a good job of profiling the Knicks signing of J.R. Smith. Make sure you click on the link -"Knicks Add Big Shooter With Rough Edges" before you read what I wrote. Also read Jeremy Wagner's "J.R. Smith, an Unpredictable Talent, Still Has Upside."

J.R. is an X-Factor type player, a  difference maker. Some are concerned about the chemistry factor, but the Knicks are obviously concerned about the talent and experience factor at the #2 guard spot. Some say Knicks have enough fire power when healthy. I say they don't necessarily have enough fire power and experience at  #2 Guard spot. J.R. is a big time talent. Let me repeat that, J.R. is a big time talent. Hard to pass on a guy like that when your financial investment is minimal & he's fighting for his next contract. The Knicks got J.R. under the best of conditions, plus Carmelo knows him from Denver and maybe can be a steadying influence for him. When you look at the risk/reward angle, this is a no-brainer. You always have the option of cutting him if things go terribly south.

Let's deal with reality. Coaching. D'Antoni doesn't have to be beholden to J.R. Smith, because the Knicks have enough offensive firepower without J.R. to survive and thrive. The X-Factor with a player like JR is coaching, how you work with him to get him to play for his teammates and not himself. Got to try to maintain the type of culture that Lin has helped create in his short stint at the lead guard position. You can talk it, but if other players are doing it, it feeds on itself. If things aren't going the way D'Antoni wants, then all he has to do is utilize the coach's best friend, the bench.

J.R.'s appeal is that he can take over a game. Don't ever want to coach that aggressiveness out of him. JR's got a lot of Kobe in him in terms of offensive will and ability. Don't want to kill that type of fire, just tame it.

I don't see J.R.'s addition as that big of an issue. The issue I see looming for the Knicks is Baron Davis. How do you integrate BD into the mix if he get's healthy. BD is a known cancer to a team and a coach killer. If he can contribute and handle backing up Lin, then the Knicks have really got something brewing. Easily can envision BD finishing games & Lin spectating; but you don't want to do anything to damage Lin's confidence, because he's the long term future of the club.

Challenges, Challenges - that's why coaches earn every cent they're paid.

As an aside, many question J.R.'s character and how his perceived character flaws will impact and affect the Knicks. Reading my blog on DeMarcus Cousins,"Evaluating Character in Sports - The Case of DeMarcus Cousins - Basketball Character vs. Personal Character," may address some concerns/question one has on the character question.