New York Knicks guard J.R. Smith found himself benched on Tuesday without an explanation for the second time in four games. Although Smith questioned why he's still on the Knicks if he isn't playing, there doesn't appear to be much interest from other teams in trading for him.
Smith's up-and-down season continued on Tuesday when coach Mike Woodson kept him on the bench during New York's 108-98 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. The NBA's reigning Sixth Man of the Year acknowledged Woodson gave him "no reason" for why he didn't play.
"I stopped being surprised after the Miami Game," Smith said, via the New York Daily News. "... I haven't the slightest clue (what's going on) ... If I'm not helping the team, there's no point in me being here."
Woodson declined to elaborate on why Smith didn't play in the loss against Charlotte.
"I'm not even commenting on J.R.," said Woodson. "I just didn't play him tonight. I didn't play him."
The mercurial guard's production dropped from 18.1 points per game last season to just 11.4 points per game this season. A litany of off-the-court issues have also plagued him, including his five-game suspension for violating the NBA drug policy, reported tiffs with Woodson and a $50,000 fine for untying an opponent's shoelaces during a game.
A number of insiders, including reporters from ESPN and The Daily News, believe New York will begin in earnest trying to move Smith on Wednesday, when his contract permits him to become eligible for a trade.
There doesn't appear to be a huge market for Smith, however. Teams seem wary to sign Smith for multiple reasons.
"...(Smith's) three-year, $18 million contract, his long list of fines and suspensions and his declining play this season will make it difficult for the Knicks to move him," Peter Botte of The Daily News wrote on Tuesday.
For his part, Smith isn't letting the trade rumors get in his head.
"I'm not even worried about that. I'm trying to fix what's going on here," said Smith. "... It doesn't mean it's going to happen. It is what it is. You take the punches as they come."
