Likely fed up by J.R. Smith's off-the-court issues as well as his on-the-court production, the New York Knicks are in the process of determining the guard's value in the trade market, according to ESPN's Ian Begley and Marc Stein. New York knows that trading the troubled veteran will be difficult.
NBA trade rumors: Knicks exploring options to move J.R. Smith
The New York Knicks are frustrated with guard J.R. Smith and are hoping they’ll find a way to move him.
Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE
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On Wednesday, the NBA handed out a $50,000 fine to Smith for unsportsmanlike conduct. Twice in the past week, he had purposely untied an opponent’s shoelaces. After being warned by the league following the first incident, Smith was again caught pulling the shoestrings of another player.
Additionally, Smith missed the first five games of the regular season because he violated the league’s anti-drug policy.
Mike Woodson went on radio to express his frustration with the 2013 Sixth Man of the Year on Wednesday and called Smith's actions "unacceptable."
The 6’6 shooting guard, who is 28 years old, would have been a tough player to trade regardless of his off-the-court issues. He has two years remaining on his three-year, $18 million contract signed this summer -- that just before he underwent knee surgery.
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On the court, Smith has been troubled as well. Following a 2012-13 season in which he averaged 18.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists, Smith has only scored 11.3 points per game. His shooting is down from 42.2 percent last year to 34.8 percent in 29 games this season.
The Knicks cannot trade Smith until Jan. 15 because of contract stipulations.
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