The Knicks need a big — not another point guard — but made official the training-camp contracts for PGs, Toure’ Murry and Chris Smith, J.R. Smith’s brother.
Murry is a 6-5 point guard who excelled at the Las Vegas Summer League after which Knicks GM Glen Grunwald said he expected him at training camp. But the need for a point guard ended when they signed veteran Beno Udrih.
The Knicks like his size and defense but the foot surgery to 6-10 Jeremy Tyler that will likely have him out all of preseason and for the Oct. 30 season opener has the Knicks needing another big off the bench for their 15th man. They have 14 guaranteed contracts, including Tyler’s.
One possibility is cutting Murry and Smith after training camp and hope they join the Knicks-run D-League team in Erie to develop them and keep within the system, no strings attached. Murry could sign with any team, however, during the course of the season.
Murry helped lead Rio Grande Valley to the D-League title – the Rockets affiliate. He played four seasons at Wichita State.
Smith’s invitation was no surprise ever since he aligned with J.R.’s agent, Leon Rose. But he looked rusty during summer league as he returned from a patella tendon tear suffered during Knicks training camp last October. His chances of making the club are slim but the Knicks want to develop him, too, for the future.