Melo has man-to-man talk with JR Smith

Carmelo Anthony knows how important J.R. Smith is to the Knicks. With that in mind, Anthony had a conversation with his mercurial teammate during the offseason.

"I had a heart-to-heart with him,'' Anthony said. "I had a talk that two men should have. We had that conversation. It seemed like he took heed to what I was saying, so we shall see.''

It was an eventful offseason for Smith, one that began on a sour note after he self-destructed in last season's playoffs.

-- NY Newsday