Knicks are Close to Signing J.R. Smith

Written by Justin on February 16, 2012 in News - No comments

The rumors of JR Smith to the Knicks have been swirling for months, now it seems the Knicks and Smith are closing in a deal that would add another scorer to this already loaded roster.

via Frank Isola of the NYDailyNews.com

The Knicks are closing in on a deal to sign free agent shooting guard J.R. Smith, the Daily News has learned. Smith began the season in China, but has been eyeing a return to the NBA once the lockout ended.

Smith's agent, Leon Rose, met with Garden Chairman James Dolan following Wednesday's Knicks' win over Sacramento to finalize a contract. It is believed that Smith, who has also attracted the interest of the Clippers, will receive the Knicks' $2.5 million exception. Rose also represents Anthony, who has lobbied the club to add Smith, an explosive scorer who can also be erratic at times. He has averaged 12.5 points per game over seven NBA seasons.

Smith adds immediate scoring to this squad, and with MDA's open offensive style, and Jeremy Lin making the games easier for others, expect even bigger scoring numbers from the Knicks.

If you haven't kept up with J.R.'s game while in China, here's some footage of him lighting it up. The guy may be a bit of a headcase, but he sure can put the ball in the hole.