New York Knicks shooting guard J.R. Smith (8) during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the second round of the 2013 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 85-75. (Photo: Anthony Gruppuso, USA TODAY Sports)
The New York Knicks' desire to acquire free-agent forward Metta World Peace off the amnesty waiver wire became more transparent Monday evening.
Just days after re-signing shooting guard J.R. Smith to a four-year deal worth nearly $25 million and hours after landing World Peace, the Knicks announced that Smith had patella tendon surgery and arthroscopic surgery to repair a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee and will miss 3-4 months.
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The Knicks made the announcement in a pair of tweets and said "Smith's injuries were chronic and gradually worsened."
The timeline for Smith's recovery indicate he will miss the start of training camp and possibly the start of the regular season. It is a tough injury for the Knicks who invested significant financial resources in Smith, and the front office is certain to come under question for agreeing to that deal with a player who needed knee surgery.
Smith, the 2012-13 Sixth Man of the Year, averaged 18.1 points (a career high), 5.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists and was New York's second-leading scorer during the regular season. But he struggled with his shot during the playoffs, perhaps a result of his injured knee.
The Knicks also acquired Andrea Bargnani in a trade with the Toronto Raptors and re-signed point guard Pablo Prigioni during the offseason.
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