Dennis Smith Jr. said he was “smiling all day” after hearing on Sunday that he was being traded from the Knicks to the Pistons by Derrick Rose.
At the time, Smith, a key acquisition in the Kristaps Porzingis trade, was in the G-League bubble on the training ground for the Westchester Knicks – at his request.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau banned him from the rotation after a hip injury earlier in the season, and Smith, 23, knew his chances of returning were not good.
“I was super excited, ” Smith said in his introductory call to Zoom on Wednesday after his first workout. “I was in the ‘G’ getting ready for our first game. I heard the news. I was smiling all day. I couldn’t really sleep that night. I was looking at this as an opportunity and a new beginning to get the most out of it. “
Smith, a restricted free agent, must have a great opportunity because debutant point guard Killian Hayes, selected seventh by Detroit, will be out most of the season after hip surgery.
In fact, the Knicks had Hayes as their primary point guard outside the LaMelo Ball during the draft process, until they received information prior to the draft that the French resident had a hip problem, according to several sources.
Now super-athletic Smith, chosen in the 2017 lottery, has a chance to shine at Motown after never gaining strength with the Knicks, partly due to injuries.
“I always have a weight on my shoulder, but in order to go out and taste something, it’s more important to prove myself,” said Smith. “I believe in myself and the people here believe in me. This is the first step towards achieving greatness. ”
Smith said he did not ask to be negotiated – only to get representatives in the G-League.
“Truth be told, I was feeling sharp. I wanted to continue playing with that level of confidence about me and my game, ” said Smith. “I really wanted to play basketball. They didn’t have to take my order. Thanks. It was simply playing basketball. There was nothing more to be moved. ”
“I was smiling a lot because I was excited about the opportunity and I knew what kind of guy to train [Dwane] Casey was a great coach, a great person. I felt lucky. ”
Casey said Smith is a blank canvas.
“Sometimes it just doesn’t work, ” said the Pistons coach. “Christian Wood had how many teams [before starring here]? Sometimes a change of scenery is good for everyone. I told him that you are starting from scratch. I don’t care what happened in New York, what happened in Dallas. I don’t care what happened in the state of North Carolina. This is what happens here. “
Knicks rookie Obi Toppin said he is happy to have Rose at his side. Rose really seemed to have better chemistry with Toppin than Julius Randle.
“He’s great,” said Toppin. “When Derrick came here and spoke to me and ‘Quick’ [Immanuel Quickley] and told us what it was. He is the best and will teach us his ways, and we will continue to advance. Having the opportunity to be on the court with him, he is someone I have watched my entire life and admired. He is a great guy, a great player and plays with speed and seeks to find people. Having him here now is incredible. ”