Knicks guard J.R. Smith hopes to be ready for season opener

J.R. Smith hopes to be ready for the Oct. 30 season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks. (Ron Hoskins/Getty Images)

New York Knicks guard J.R. Smith said he is getting healthy and feeling good after undergoing surgery on a torn lateral meniscus that will keep him out of action for 12-16 weeks.

He had surgery last month, less than a week after signing a three-year, $18 million contract, and says he hopes to be able to play opening night. The Knicks open the season Oct. 30 against the Milwaukee Bucks.

"It's still too early to tell from what I hear -- from the doc and all that," Smith said to ESPNNewYork.com. "I hope so. I want to be there opening night. I want to start the training camp off with my team and with my teammates."

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Smith was named the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year last season after averaging 18.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. He initially put off surgery, hoping rest would be enough for him recover.

"I thought it was going to get better with time off," Smith said. "Dr. [Lisa] Callahan [who works with Dr. Allen] told me, 'Just take the two, three weeks and see how you feel.' I felt as though it wasn't getting better. She kind of predicted it wasn't going to, and she just thought it would be better to get it over with."