The New York Knicks are coming off a disappointing end to the 2012-13 NBA season with the team failing to reach the Eastern Conference Finals and therefore failing to live up to expectations this season.

Once the Indiana Pacers sealed the deal in Game 6 in order to advance to play the defending NBA champion Miami Heat in the East Finals, the Knicks’ front office went back to the drawing board in order to figure out how to right the ship.

One player that the team was most concerned about in terms of a return to the Big Apple next season and potentially for the foreseeable future was Sixth Man of the Year J.R. Smith. The consensus has been that Smith is set to cash in on his breakout season with the Knicks in free agency by signing a long-term lucrative deal, but now it appears the sharpshooter will most likely be staying in New York for the long haul.

Reportedly, Smith will opt out of his contract with the Knicks in order to sign a four-year deal with New York. Not only is Smith willing to return at a price tag of $5 million per season, but he also wants his brother, Chris Smith, to be signed as well.

Apparently, the Knicks are willing to take on both brothers if it means they hold onto J.R. for the next four seasons.

Although it appears that Smith is ready to sign on the dotted line come July 1, there’s a chance that he may change his mind over the course of the next month or so. Smith is known to be somewhat unpredictable and impulsive leading to speculation that this early report of the team agreeing to sign him for four years at $5 million per year may be premature.

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