Dennis Smith Jr. Finishes 2nd Season Optimistic of Future in New York: YEAR 2 RECAP

Former NC State ACC Freshman of the Year Dennis Smith Jr.’s 2nd season in the NBA has officially come to a close.

Smith Jr. finished the year averaging 13.6 points and 4.8 assists in 53 games played. He saw his numbers increase after he was traded from the Mavs to the Knicks midseason, averaging 14.7 points and 5.4 assists for New York.

DSJ battled lower back injuries all year long, in both Dallas and New York. With that being said, Smith Jr. began missing games due to “illness” in early January, which was around the same time rumors began swirling that he was unhappy with his situation in Dallas, desiring to be traded.

Traded he was.

His best game in Dallas this year was on October 28th, when he scored 27 points, tying a career high.

Twice since arriving in New York, Smith Jr. dropped 10+ dimes, and one of those was a part of his 2nd ever triple-double on January 30th (13 points, 10 rebounds and 15 assists).

Smith Jr.’s biggest game for the Knicks this year came on February 8th, when he scored 31 points (season-high), accompanied by 8 assists.

Battling a lower back injury closing out the year (missing 10 of final 14 games), DSJ showed his grit and commitment to New York and his teammates on Tuesday night, scoring 25 points while less than 100% while he was banged up.

This was ultimately his final game of the season, missing the season finale.

Despite the awfulness that was the Knicks in 2018-19, Smith Jr. has reason to be optimistic about the future. It seems highly likely that Kevin Durant will be in New York next year, and if the Knick Nation’s dreams come true, they will scoop up the phenom named Zion Williamson in the 2019 NBA Draft.

Smith Jr. has one-year remaining on his 3-year rookie contract ($11.5 million/all guaranteed). After next season, he will be a restricted free agent.