Chris Smith’s guaranteed deal with the Knicks came at a steep price.
Smith details in a Bleacher Report feature how he became the scapegoat for a disastrous 2013-14 Knicks season that saw the team go from title contender to out of the playoffs. His guaranteed deal was questioned immediately after the signing, seen by some as a favor to older brother J.R., who re-signed with the Knicks that offseason.
It was a surprising deal for someone who had spent his rookie season in the D-League, and Smith says he considered turning it down because of the criticism he knew that would come with it.