WASHINGTON — The Knicks’ championship ride starts tonight in the nation’s capital and they already have one unhappy player — J.R. Smith — and a lot of injuries.
When the ancient Knicks play their preseason opener at Washington’s Verizon Center, Smith does not expect to be introduced as part of the starting lineup, even with the spate of injuries at shooting guard.
Coach Mike Woodson has made it clear Smith will be the sixth man this season — and that may even hold true for Thursday night’s first game against the Wizards.
Smith has never been accused of being politically correct. “I think disappointed is an understatement,’’ Smith said of his status made clear by Woodson on Tuesday. “My whole process of getting better this summer and everything I went through was to be in that starting role. It was great to be able to have put all that work in and understand what I can do and my body can withhold without starting. I think it just makes our bench even stronger.’’
It hasn’t been a good few days for Smith. It was announced Wednesday his brother, Chris Smith, who had a strong chance of making the team as a combo guard, will be out three-to-six months as he undergoes patella tendon surgery on his left knee today.
“It hurts,’’ said J.R, who had long been anticipating playing with his brother. “He’s [ticked] of course.’’
So is J.R. Nevertheless, Woodson wouldn’t name his starter tonight at shooting guard — the only unsettled position — but Mychel Thompson, brother of Klay, has been playing with the first unit. And Thompson may not make the team.
Woodson’s top three choices are hurt — Iman Shumpert, who will return earliest in December; Ronnie Brewer, who had knee surgery last month and isn’t due to practice for a week; and free-agent signee James White, who has impressed in training camp until going down this week with a hamstring strain.
White won’t make the trip. Nor will the rehabbing Marcus Camby (strained calf) and out-of-shape Rasheed Wallace, who has not been deemed in good-enough condition to scrimmage, making his chances of making the squad hardly guaranteed.
Woodson had said Smith should focus on winning Sixth Man of the Year, but Smith scoffed at that notion.
“I don’t care about the Sixth-Man race,’’ Smith said. “I haven’t been the finalists for that in the last six years. That’s not even a thought process of mine. I’ve been coming off the bench, so I’ll keep doing it.’’
The Knicks’ other four starters are set in stone and will be unveiled. Raymond Felton is at point guard beginning his second stint with the team; Carmelo Anthony at small forward beginning his first Knicks season after coming off an Olympic gold; Amar’e Stoudemire at power forward beginning his “new era’’ with low-post moves, and center Tyson Chandler, also beginning his first Knicks season coming off gold.
Tonight will also mark the first game in a Knicks uniform for 39-year-old Jason Kidd, who will come off the bench at point guard and also will see time at the 2 — the Knicks’ weakest position.
“He’s going to play some 2 this year,’’ Woodson said. “He can play 3 as well. He can guard 1, 2 and 3.’’
Woodson, starting his first full season, said his starters won’t play a lot. Anthony expects to play less than two quarters. The Knicks have six preseason games — all on the road — as the Garden puts final touches on the second stage of its transformation. They face Boston Saturday in Hartford.
“I think these guys are anxious after [nine] practices,’’ Woodson said. “I’m anxious to see how we are as far as conditioning.’’
Anthony, who grew up in nearby Baltimore, said the preseason games will be a good barometer of the team’s progress.
“It will help us and see how far along we are,” he said. “We want to get better, tighten up some of the things we’ve been going through this week, our defensive, offensive sets, and get up and down the basketball court against somebody else.’’