So much for trying to develop young point guard Chris Smith.
The Erie Bayhawks, the Knicks’ D-League affiliate, have put J.R. Smith’s brother on waivers. Smith last played just five minutes in a game Feb. 22, and was a DNP the past three outings. Smith can be picked up on waivers by another D-League club.
The Knicks released Smith on Dec. 31 to sign center Jeremy Tyler. Smith’s addition to the Knicks’ 15-man roster out of training camp created a wave of controversy because his $430,000 contract had an addendum to become fully guaranteed on opening night. Almost no minimum deals become fully guaranteed until the NBA-set date of Jan. 7, unless specified otherwise.
The NBA held internal discussions, but did not investigate the Knicks on whether they broke any cap rules by signing Smith as a way to lure J.R. Smith into re-signing over the summer.
The caper continued to cause ill feelings when Chris Smith was cut and J.R. Smith tweeted about “betrayal.’’ The whole episode became yet another buffoonish act by a Knicks franchise that has fallen into complete disarray, sitting 19 games under .500 at 21-40.
Because the Knicks are in one of the most punitive luxury-tax brackets, Smith’s cost to owner James Dolan became about $2 million, tax included.
In 23 games for the BayHawks, Smith averaged 8.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists. Many NBA scouts don’t consider him an NBA prospect. He went undrafted out of Louisville in 2012.
Erie also recently traded the D-League rights of small forward C.J. Leslie, another player they hoped to develop after he went undrafted out of North Carolina State. The Knicks gave Leslie a $200,000 guarantee entering training camp, expecting him to make the roster. But he was waived after a dismal camp in which he didn’t look strong enough or show enough motor. Sources say Leslie wasn’t happy with his role in Erie.