NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz Surrounding Dennis Smith Jr. Trade, Bulls, Knicks
Things had not gone according to plan for the New York Knicks even before the regular season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Knicks had some internal strife early, and that strife increased exponentially upon the firing of former head coach David Fizdale 22 games into the season.
Eventually, president of basketball operations Steve Mills was also fired just prior the February trade deadline, with former agent Leon Rose tabbed to take his place. Still, Knicks fans continue to be disgruntled with the team's direction under owner James Dolan, chanting "sell the team" on numerous occasions.
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Those fans have good reason to be frustrated considering some of the moves the front office has made in recent years, most notably the trade that sent Kristaps Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Dennis Smith Jr. and other assets.
While Porzingis and Hardaway have each contributed to a Mavs team that had been competitive prior to the work stoppage, Smith has gone from promising combo guard to dud this year.
Here are the latest rumors surrounding Smith's future with the Knicks, as well as the Chicago Bulls' ongoing search for a new lead executive.
DSJ Needs 'Change of Scenery'
Smith showed tremendous potential in his rookie campaign with the Mavs.
The former NC State star averaged 15.2 points, 5.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds while playing nearly 30 minutes per night, showcasing some exceptional athleticism and playmaking at both guard spots. Sure, Smith's efficiency was lacking, but he figured to make gains in that department, as most young players tend to do with added experience.
Instead, Smith has looked like a shell of his former self since arriving in New York. He has had a noticeable slide in both production and efficiency at the end of last season, but this season has been far more disconcerting.
Smith was averaging fewer than 16 minutes per game through his first 34 games while shooting just over 34 percent field and committing close to four turnovers per 36 minutes. According to Basketball Reference, Smith was running an abhorrent -28 net rating and -6.1 box plus-minus.
However, Marc Berman of the New York Post reported some in the league feel Smith may benefit from a "change of scenery." Berman noted the Minnesota Timberwolves previously showed some interest in Smith, and cited the Orlando Magic as a team that might make a move for him.
Perhaps Smith fell victim to the toxic environment surrounding the franchise. He also never really seemed to click with Fizdale earlier and fell into a bit of a rut due to injuries and the death of his stepmother.
Smith still has the athletic ability that made him such a coveted prospect during the 2017 NBA Draft. It might be the case some teams feel there is a sense of low-risk, high-reward attached to acquiring Smith, who is still on his rookie contract.
Arturas Karnisovas 'Leading Candidate' For Bulls' Top Job
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported the Bulls were formally beginning their search for a new top executive to replace John Paxson and Gar Forman back on April 3, and Karnisovas quickly became a name of interest.
Karnisovas has been the general manager of the Denver Nuggets since the summer of 2017, and he is widely regarded for his background in scouting and has a strong record when it comes to drafting.
For those reasons, Karnisovas is the "leader in the clubhouse" to become Chicago's new president of basketball operations, per Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports.
The Bulls appear to be showing a bit of urgency in terms of the hiring process, which probably makes sense given the current suspension of play would give any incoming executive some additional time to evaluate the roster and consider new hires on his own staff.
Paxson and Forman have been in charge of the Bulls since 2009, though the team has had its share of questionable drafting and personnel moves in the last few seasons.
Karnisovas is one of the guys who has helped the Nuggets get great value from draft picks like Nikola Jokic (who was selected 42nd in 2014) and Michael Porter Jr. (who went 14th in 2018).
Porzingis Trade Ultimately Led to Mills' Demise in NY
Speaking of Mills and the aforementioned Porzingis-DSJ trade, Berman also reported that move was essentially the straw that broke the camel's back when it came to Mills' status on the hot seat.
The move was questioned throughout NBA circles at the time. Though Porzingis was still recovering from a knee injury at the time, he was also still young and one of New York's lone bright spots.
Initially, the move seemed as much a ploy to open up a second max salary slot, as much as anything else. Of course, the financial flexibility meant next to nothing when the Knicks failed to land a single marquee free agent this past summer.
Mills did make a whole lot of winning moves during his time as team president, but it appears the Porzingis deal all but sealed his fate, in the end.
All stats obtained via Basketball Reference, unless otherwise noted.
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