How J.R. Smith's Role with Knicks Will Impact Shumpert, Fields and Novak

Free-agent guard J.R. Smith became eligible to sign with an NBA team on Wednesday after returning from China and it appears as though he has wasted little time. Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reported that a deal with the New York Knicks is imminent.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported that no deal has been signed yet. He also reported that the Knicks are offering Smith a second-year player option worth $2.5 million that could make the deal worth a total of $4.3 million. 

Smith took to Twitter to announce that he's joining the Knicks, making the union all but official. Smith figures to play a very prominent role in head coach Mike D'Antoni's pick-and-roll offense as he can hit open threes with great regularity off the bench.

One thing that Smith's addition will certainly do, though, is affect the playing time and roles of several players who have been key in the Knicks' seven-game winning streak. Point guard Jeremy Lin has been the catalyst, but wing players like Iman Shumpert, Landry Fields and Steve Novak have contributed heavily as well.

Here are the outlooks for Shumpert, Fields and Novak now that Smith appears to be in the fold. 

Iman Shumpert

Many scratched their heads when the Knicks selected guard Iman Shumpert in the first round of the 2011 NBA draft, but Shumpert has proven to be a very productive player for New York. He is averaging starter's minutes at 31 per game and he has been a productive offensive player as well with 10.6 points per contest. Where Shumpert really shines, however, is as a defender. His 6'5", 220-pound frame makes him tough to play against, and his athleticism has allowed him to develop into an elite perimeter defender already.

While Shumpert's overall minutes may see a bit of a dip since Smith effectively plays the same position as a two-guard, he will still be in the game during big moments. Shumpert is probably D'Antoni's most-trusted perimeter defender, so when the Knicks are nursing leads late in the game, he is sure to be on the floor. He may give way to Smith in offensive situations, but Shumpert will still play a big role. 

Landry Fields

It's fair to say that few players have benefited more from Jeremy Lin's emergence than shooting guard Landry Fields. Last season, Fields surprised many by becoming a big contributor for the Knicks as a second-round rookie. As a result, much was expected of Fields this season, but his production was quite spotty early on. That being said, since Lin took over the reins at point guard, Fields has been stuffing the stat sheet.

Fields is averaging 10 points, four rebounds and three assists on the year. In a lot of ways, he is like a lite version of Detroit Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince as he excels as a defender and can pitch in offensively, too. Fields is the unquestioned starter at shooting guard and Smith's arrival shouldn't change that. Like Shumpert, Fields will have his minutes cut into a bit, but Fields will still be a go-to guy in defensive situations.

Steve Novak

Perhaps no player on the team will be more adversely affected by Smith's signing than forward Steve Novak. The 6'10" sharpshooter is a three-point specialist who has taken off since Lin's insertion into the lineup. Early in the year, Novak rarely played more than 10 minutes in any given game and his season-high in scoring was a mere nine points. However, Novak has become a much bigger part of the offense as of late, with performances of 19, 19, 15 and 14 points during the Knicks' winning streak.

It is no secret that Novak is on the floor simply to hit jump shots, so the situations he can be used in are limited. Smith is also a three-point shooter, but he is proficient in other areas as well, so D'Antoni will likely be more inclined to play him with greater regularity. Novak will still have value for the Knicks off the bench as he is shooting a sizzling 43 percent from downtown, but he'll go back to being a niche player.