Casey Smith’s arrival helped improve Knicks’ health

The New York Knicks benefited from more than just acquiring former Dallas Mavericks talent during their championship run.

While Dallas is often criticized for allowing Jalen Brunson to leave in free agency in 2022, the Mavericks also moved on from longtime performance and medical specialist Casey Smith, a decision that may have indirectly helped New York.

The Knicks hired Smith as Vice President of Sports Medicine in 2024 after his departure from Dallas. Since then, the organization has seen a noticeable improvement in player availability and overall health.

According to Tom Haberstroh of Yahoo Sports, Smith has earned a reputation around the league as an “injury-prevention mastermind,” and the Knicks’ championship season provided further evidence of that impact.

New York remained remarkably healthy throughout its title run.

In fact, OG Anunoby was the only regular rotation player to miss any playoff games because of injury, sitting out two second-round contests with a minor hamstring strain.

The Knicks avoided major injury issues during their championship run, and Smith has been credited with helping improve the team’s overall health.