The wait is officially over for the verdict on the signing of J.R. Smith with the free agent shooting guard choosing to sign with the New York Knicks. Despite getting interest from a lot of teams in the league with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers being two of the most aggressive teams in running, Smith chose to take his talents to the Big Apple and play alongside big-names like Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and rising star Jeremy Lin.
This move was arguably the second-best of the season behind acquiring undrafted Jeremy Lin. With J.R. Smith, the Knicks will get the scoring punch and three-point threat they have been looking for at the shooting guard position. Along with adding Smith into the mix, the Knicks are on a roll right now with a seven-game winning streak (play New Orleans Hornets on Friday) and the distinction as arguably the hottest team in the NBA.
Even though this is a step in the right direction for the Knicks, the news of this signing by New York is a step backwards for both teams in the City of Angels. The Clippers were looking to add Smith in order to fill the void left at shooting guard with the season-ending injury of Chauncey Billups. All-Star point guard reached out to his friend and former teammate to recruit him to the Clippers, but it seemingly came down to money for the 26-year-old free agent.
The New York Knicks were the only team of the three able to offer the mini mid-level exception worth about $2.5 million. This number was pro-rated, but still the best option financially for Smith. It is also being reported that he was offered a player option on a second-year with the Knicks which might have been the key for him signing with New York.
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