Knicks Rumors: JR Smith Would Make New York a Legit Threat in Eastern Conference

What a difference a fortnight makes.

Two weeks ago, the New York Knicks were 8-15, languishing outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, with Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire out of the lineup and hoping and praying that Baron Davis would ride in on his white horse and rescue them from outright mediocrity.

Now, the Knicks are back in the playoff mix after winning seven games in a row and are the hottest ticket in the NBA thanks to the emergence of Jeremy Lin, who simultaneously sparked a worldwide phenomenon and filled what was once a crippling void in Mike D'Antoni's offense.

And if you thought things couldn't get any better for the Knickerbockers, what with STAT back in the lineup and 'Melo soon to join him, it appears as though the rich are about to get richer.

According to Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld, the Knicks are on the verge of signing free-agent shooting guard JR Smith, who was cleared to return to the league on Thursday after spending the last few months stuck in China.

With Smith in the mix, the Knicks may well have the pieces necessary to climb into the top half of the East and (dare I say it?) develop into a legitimate challenger to the conference supremacy currently enjoy by the Miami Heat and the Chicago Bulls.

Smith is just the sort of long-range shooter New York needs to spread out opposing defenses, especially with Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler occupying so much space in the middle. A career 37.1-percent shooter from deep, Smith would make defenses pay for doubling down on 'Melo and Amar'e or for collapsing in on Lin's drives to the basket by hitting wide-open shots off kick-outs and passes out of double teams.

Perhaps Smith's greatest asset, though, is his level of comfort, familiarity and success as both a starter and a reserve. The former scorer for the New Orleans Hornets and the Denver Nuggets could step in immediately as the go-to guy in D'Antoni's second unit. In effect, Smith could restore order to a bench that has shown itself to be inept at times, even amidst the Knicks' current run of Linsanity.

Despite his reputation as a hothead and a nincompoop, Smith should actually fit into the team quite well, thanks in large part to his pre-existing rapport with 'Melo from their Denver days.

That being said said, don't expect the Knicks to rise up as kings of the East anywhere near as quickly or as startlingly as Lin has in the world's basketball conscience. The Knicks will need some time and patience to reintegrate Anthony into their resurgent rotation before they can comfortably welcome a brand-new face into the mix.

But, should JR Smith sign on the dotted line in the Big Apple, he and the Knicks could be well on their way to becoming a dangerous team in the Eastern Conference come playoff time.

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