Knicks president Phil Jackson said Sunday the team will be fiscally responsible and not just throw money around the rest of summer because it had an exception.
In other words, with New Orleans power forward/center Jason Smith agreeing to terms Tuesday for $3.72 million mini mid-level exception, Jackson feels the 7-footer can really help.
That Smith agreed to sign for just one year also aided the Knicks’ cause as they protect cap space for 2015. The Knicks were outbid for Washington power forward Trevor Booker when he agreed Tuesday to a two-year, $10 million pact. The Post first reported the Knicks had Smith as a target when free agency began July 1.
Jackson had said he wanted another rebounding big man and Smith can block shots and shoot from long range. His price tag was manageable because he sustained a season-ending knee surgery, limiting him to 31 games last season.
Smith, 28, averaged 9.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 27 minutes per game, shooting 46 percent. But he had early-February knee surgery in which a loose piece of cartilage was removed. Out of Colorado State, Smith was the longest-tenured Pelican at four years.
With Jackson believing Andrea Bargnani fits the triangle and is in store for a bounce-back year, there’s a small chance Jackson would deal Amar’e Stoudemire as a cost-cutting measure to get the Knicks out of a harsh luxury-tax bracket. They would have to find a team under the cap willing to absorb his $23 million contract — such as Philadelphia. But the Sixers would want an additional player in order to take on Stoudemire’s onerous contract.
The best bet is Jackson keeps the status quo because starting center Samuel Dalembert played just 20 minutes per game last season with Dallas, Bargnani had a season-ending injury and Stoudemire occasionally sat out back-to-backs to rest his knees and was on a rising minutes restriction for much of the season.
The Knicks re-signed Cole Aldrich, but the Smith signing could affect the status of Jeremy Tyler, who has a team option and is on the summer league squad. Jackson still believes he has too many guards and may have to cut Wayne Ellington if he can’t trade him for a big man.