Sometimes, players make no secret of being happy about a change of scenery. Such is the case with former Knicks guard Dennis Smith Jr., who is now a Detroit Piston. Via the NY Post:
Dennis Smith Jr. said he was “smiling all day’’ after hearing on Sunday he was being traded from the Knicks to the Pistons for Derrick Rose.
At the time, Smith, a key acquisition in the Kristaps Porzingis trade, was in the G-League’s bubble in training camp for the Westchester Knicks — upon his request.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau had banished him from the rotation after an early season quad injury, and Smith, 23, knew his chances of getting back weren’t good.
“I was super excited,’’ Smith said in his introductory Zoom call Wednesday after his first practice. “I was down in the ‘G’ getting ready to have our first scrimmage. I heard the news. I was just smiling all day. I couldn’t really sleep that night. I was looking at it as an opportunity and a fresh start and make the most out of it.”
The Pistons were the talk of the NBA yesterday, beating the Nets, who were without Kevin Durant but, on paper, certainly looked like the favorite. Smith didn’t play, but could make his Pistons debut Thursday in Detroit against the Pacers.
