J.R. Smith spent nearly three years with the Knicks, a time which was filled with brilliance and blunders — and was never boring. The enigmatic swingman was fun and frustrating, showcasing long-range shooting and must-see athleticism, alternated with head-scratching decision-making and incomprehensibly poor shot selection.
Off the court, he was even more interesting, an original personality in a sport plagued by clichés.
Here’s a look back at some of the highs and lows of Smith’s memorable run with the Knicks:
Feb. 2012: Smith signs with the Knicks in the middle of the lockout-shortened season after spending a season with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls in China.
March 2012: Fined $25,000 by NBA after tweeting a picture of a bare female backside from his Milwaukee hotel room at 4 a.m. on a road trip.
May 2012: In Game 3 of the Knicks’ first round playoff series against the Heat — the Knicks’ first playoff appearance in eight years — Smith throws down one of the best dunks in team history, albeit in a loss.
May 2012: Arrested in Miami Beach for not having a valid driver’s license.
May 2012: Smith invited fans on Twitter to join him on a late-night bike ride through Times Square.
Nov. 2012: After not even a full season in New York, Smith admits, following a morning shootaround in San Antonio, his hard partying was distracting him from the game: “I’m not going to lie. The New York City nightlife pretty much got to me. I was going out pretty much every other night and not focused on the task at hand.”
Dec. 2012: With Carmelo Anthony injured, Smith hits two buzzer-beater game-winning shots — at Charlotte and at Phoenix — from similar spots on the left wing just inside the 3-point line.
Jan. 2013: Not sure what’s crazier — this Smith dunk or the fact that it wasn’t so long ago the Knicks could plausibly beat the Spurs?
Feb. 2013: Smith’s Twitter direct messages with a high school senior published, ending with this subtle proposition: “You trying to get the pipe?”
Feb. 2013: Smith comes out of the locker room early during halftime and joins a game with kids who were playing on the Garden floor. After playing a little defense, Smith calls for the ball, but doesn’t receive it, as Mike Breen joked, “[The kids] probably know they’re not going to get it back.”
March 2013: With Anthony out, Smith scores 36 points in a duel with Kevin Durant, but Smith’s game-winning attempt just before the buzzer misses in a loss to Oklahoma City.
April 2013: The high point of the highest Knicks point in more than a decade. During the team’s 54-win season — and two days after Smith wishes everyone “Happy 4-20” on Twitter — he is awarded the Sixth Man of the Year, becoming the first Knick to win the award since John Starks (1996-97).
April 2013: Ejected from Game 3 of first-round Celtics series for flagrantly elbowing Boston’s Jason Terry with the win well in hand. Suspended for Game 4, costing Knicks a chance to sweep, before they eventually advance in six games.
May 2013: In the midst of a woeful shooting slump in playoff series vs. Indiana, pop star Rihanna provided an explanation of sorts in an Instagram post: “His a– be hungover from clubbing every night during playoffs.” Smith’s response? Tweeting a “bandwagon transferral form.”
July 2013: Smith re-signs with the Knicks, a deal worth nearly $18 million over three years. Just a few days later, he undergoes surgery on his left knee.
Sept. 2013: Smith draws a five-game suspension from the NBA for failing repeated marijuana tests.
Nov. 2013: Tweets back at Pistons point guard Brandon Jennings — who had questioned J.R.’s younger brother Chris Smith’s roster spot — saying he would send his “street homies” to Detroit. Fined $25,000 by the NBA for “directing hostile and inappropriate language to another player.”
Dec. 2013: After Knicks release Chris Smith, J.R. tweets a picture from the movie “Casino” with the quote: “You know the sad thing about betrayal? It never comes from an enemy.”
Jan. 2014: Instead of holding for a final shot, Smith takes an ill-advised 3-pointer with 22 seconds remaining in tie game with the Rockets. Houston’s Aaron Brooks made two free throws at the other end to spell a 102-100 loss.
Jan. 2014: After untying Shawn Marion’s shoelace while both were waiting on a free-throw attempt during a win over the Mavericks, he is fined $50,000 for “recurring instances of unsportsmanlike conduct,” having pulled the same trick on Detroit’s Greg Monroe.
March 2014: Smith ties a Knicks record with nine 3-pointers made against Sacramento.
April 2014: With the season winding down and a playoff spot still in play, Smith sets an NBA record with 22 3-point attempts in a single game, hitting a Knicks-record 10 3-pointers, in a loss to the Heat.
Nov. 2014: Smith is suspended one game for hitting Glen Rice Jr. in the groin.
Jan. 2015: The fun and frustration ends, with Smith dealt to Cleveland, along with Iman Shumpert.