NBA free agency: J.R. Smith close to signing 4-year deal to return to Knicks

Good news for Pistons fans who wanted Joe Dumars to stay away - J.R. Smith is close to re-upping with the New York Knicks, according to the New York Daily News:

J.R. Smith and the Knicks are finalizing a contract extension that will keep the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year with the club for another four years.

According to a Knicks source, the deal could be completed by Thursday.

Smith is expected to receive the "Average Player Salary Exception" which could amount to $24 million over four seasons.

The Pistons were supposedly suitors of Smith, then maybe they weren't, and then maybe they were, but it doesn't really matter now. Smith is thankfully off the market.

Smith gets the same deal Kyle Korver is reportedly getting from Atlanta and roughly the same that Martell Webster received from Washington and J.J. Redick will get from the Clippers. Hey, stay hot, Knicks!

Update: ... and, it's done:

Breaking: The Knicks and J.R. Smith agree to a new deal, Smith's agent, Leon Rose, tells the Daily News.

— Frank Isola (@FisolaNYDN) July 4, 2013

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