Mike Woodson still isn’t sure who will be his starting shooting guard, but he sounds certain that it won’t be J.R. Smith.

Four days after Smith told reporters that he “preferred to start” for the Knicks this season, his coach made it clear that his preference is that Smith continue to play a sixth-man role.

“I kind of like where J.R. is coming off the bench,” Woodson said. “He could start, you never know. But everybody can’t start. I have a nice mixture of guys at this starting unit and I have to have some offense coming off the bench, as well.

“There’s nothing wrong with that. He could be the best player coming off the bench in this league and perhaps win the Sixth Man Award.”

via Barbara Barker of Newsday