NBA's Top 2013-14 Sixth man of the year candidates

4. J.R. Smith, New York Knicks

2012-13 Stats: 18.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.7 APG, 42.2 FG%, 35.6 3P%, 17.67 PER

The league’s reigning sixth man of the year, J.R. Smith is one of the most mercurial, athletic and explosive scorers in the league. His ability to turn red hot in an instant makes him a dangerous player to have as an opponent.

While Smith had a season of a kind the last time around, the same cannot be said of his playoff performance. His shooting from the field dropped to 33.1% and he barely looked like his former, regular season self.

After the playoffs, Smith had to undergo a knee surgery which means he would miss a few initial games this season. Although this doesn’t mean his stats will drop, Smith would need some time to get back into his rhythm.

Another reason why the reigning 6 MOY is placed 4th in this list is the team he’s playing for. The Knicks acquired Andrea Bargnani at Power Forward. When you factor in Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire, the Knicks have one of the best offensive teams in the league. This would mean less importance offensively for Smith.

Despite that, Smith is one of the best sixth men in this league and is capable of putting up 30+ points on any given night. If he gets back into his rhythm quickly, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be able to show more of his last season’s performances.