J.R. Smith: 5 Factors Smith Brings to New York Knicks

When the New York Knicks signed J.R. Smith yesterday they were in the midst of a seven-game win streak. New Yorkers in the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" camp met the move with apprehension.

And while things have been "Linsane" around New York these days, the Knicks' streak came to a screeching halt last night with a loss to the 7-23 New Orleans Hornets.

In fact, while the Jeremy Lin Cinderella story is heartwarming, there's a stern reality behind the incredible run he led.

Of the last eight teams the Knicks played, only two have a winning record: the Utah Jazz (15-14) and the Los Angeles Lakers (18-12).

The Knicks' season is back-loaded with tough teams, and, while risky, the move to add J.R. Smith will boost New York's roster.

Here's a look at both the upside and the baggage that Smith brings to the Knicks.

Depth

J.R. Smith will be a solid sixth man for New York.

After trading away four of their starters for Carmelo Anthony last season, the Knicks' roster is rather thin.

Further, the team has been plagued by a barrage of injuries, leading them to start now-legend Jeremy Lin in the first place.

At the time, it seemed like a move of desperation.

J.R. Smith helps flesh out this New York team.

Last year in Denver, Smith played an average 24.9 minutes, scored 12.3 points and snagged 4.1 rebounds per game off the bench.

This will complement the scoring efforts of Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire and Jeremy Lin.

3-Point Shooting

An authority on the three-pointer, Smith will greatly help the Knicks' three-point game.

As a team, New York is currently shooting just 0.299 from behind the arc.

J.R. Smith is a career 37 percent three-point shooter.

He is able to make deep shots and is the only guy in the history of the NBA to have two double-digit three-point games.

In April of 2009, he scored a career-high 45 points in one game, sinking 33 of those points from three-point range.

Smith's three game will benefit from the presence of Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire.

New York's stars require intense defensive attention, often drawing double coverage.

This would leave Smith open and able to get good looks at the basket.

Chemistry

While this Knicks team is a motley crew, J.R. Smith may help add some chemistry.

In New York, Smith will join his former general manger, Mark Warkentien.

Warkentien was GM of the Denver Nuggets and is now the director of player personnel for the Knicks.

He strongly supported bringing J.R. Smith on board.

Former Nuggets teammate, Carmelo Anthony, also endorsed Smith.

Getting the nod from these two is a positive sign for Smith, who has a reputation for being a difficult teammate.

It means that Smith's personality is less of a liability on the Knicks and that there will be some chemistry in a hodgepodge (but lovable) organization.

Antics

Whether you consider them a distraction or entertainment, J.R. Smith comes packed with antics.

Back on the Nuggets, he enlisted his driver to play an April Fool's Day prank on then teammate Kenyon Martin.

K-Mart found his Range Rover filled with buttered popcorn and was none too pleased.

In 2009, Smith composed some tweets in which he replaced the letter "C" with the letter "K," prompting some to believe he was gang-affiliated. As a result, he shut down his Twitter account.

Sometimes Smith messes around and it is laughable, sometimes it's not. Time will tell what antics he will bring to the Knicks.

Liability

Unfortunately, there is a downside to J.R. coming to New York.

He is a reckless shooter with a troubled past.

The New York Times describes Smith as a "chucker" which they define as "a player who shoots without conscience, awareness of game situations or much regard for his team’s offensive system."

The description sounds eerily reminiscent of Anthony's play style. Even in his ninth NBA season, the All-Star player still takes shots that he shouldn't.

With Smith guilty of similar indiscretions, the pair could be a nightmare in New York, overshadowing other shooting talent.

J.R. also comes with baggage. He is a firecracker with a short fuse.

Smith's hot head got him into trouble in 2006 when he incited a brawl in Madison Square Garden after he was flagrantly fouled. As a result of the Nuggets-Knicks brawl, Smith received a 10-game suspension.

Smith is also known to be negligent. In 2009, he was charged with reckless driving in a 2007 incident that killed his friend Andre Bell. Smith served time in jail for those charges.

Despite these flaws, however, there is still a lot of upside to Smith coming to New York.