LAS VEGAS – Point guard Chris Smith has to now prove he’s more than J.R.’s younger brother.
That Smith is a lock for the 15-man roster as part of a package deal with J.R. is likely the case. But even Smith said there’s no guarantees. He’s got to perform.
“Nothing,’’ Smith said, “is etched in stone. I have to play my cards right.’’
Smith is expected to come off the bench in Friday’s Knicks Summer League opener vs. New Orleans at Thomas Mack Center at UNLV. It appears the coaching staff desperately wants to see Iman Shumpert at the point in a starting backcourt pairing with their first-round pick, shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr.
Shumpert probably won’t play more than three games so Smith will slide back to starting PG when he leaves Vegas.
“I’ll get my chance to prove what I can do on court in the next couple of weeks,’’ said Smith, who played at the University of Louisville. “If they want me to come to training camp, great. If not, I’m playing for 30 other teams. My goal is to make the team and have the brotherly tandem everyone’s talking about.’’
Smith was a fixture around the Knicks last season. He had a partially guaranteed contract entering training camp after having a nice Summer League. He was a favorite to make the team.
After tearing his knee patella tendon in preseason, Smith was waived but the Knicks didn’t wave goodbye. He spent all year rehabbing at the Tarrytown practice facility and showed up at almost all the home games, as much a part of the locker room as Jason Kidd.
J.R. is here in Vegas to watch his brother after signing a four-year, $24.7 million deal with the Knicks. Chris fired his agent Marc Cornstein recently, and hired J.R.’s agent, Leon Rose.
“I’m very excited,’’ Smith said. “It’s the first time playing in nine, 10 months. I’m overly excited.’’
Smith said just being around the Knicks last season was a terrific experience in helping his game.
“I’m more focused now,’’ Smith said. “It’s different. I watched Jason Kidd, Pablo Prigioni and Raymond. I have a better mindset as a point guard on how to run a team.’’
The Knicks likely will start Shumpert-Hardaway-C.J. Leslie as their trio. The Knicks have yet to sign a third PG to the roster so Knicks GM Glen Grunwald said he wants to see Shumpert at the point after playing there occasionally as a rookie.
Knicks fans believe Shumpert is taking a risk playing in Vegas because of his surgically repaired knee. But that’s a silly sentiment, especially because he has never played in summer league. The lockout robbed him of summer league as a rookie and last July he was rehabbing a torn ACL.
“I’m here with a smile,’’ Shumpert said. “I’m not here with angry eyes. I can get hurt working out by myself in the gym. I’m not thinking about me getting hurt. The worst has already happened to me. I don’ think God has it out for me (again). I’ll be alright.’’