As a 15-year NBA veteran, Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith is currently owed $15.7 million next season on his current contract. This would be the last season of the four-year, $57 million deal he signed after helping LeBron James win the 2016 NBA championship. Following the 2019-20 campaign, however, Smith becomes an unrestricted free agent and his expiring contract could help Cleveland find a trade partner this summer.
After appearing in only 11 games and essentially red-shirting last season in Cleveland, the Cavs appear to have rejuvenated efforts to trade the 33-year-old shooting guard. If Smith is dealt, the team who acquires him is expected to waive him. When that happens, there is a good chance J.R. will end up reunited with LeBron as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
With the Lakers strapped for salary cap space while searching for role players to fill out the roster alongside James and Anthony Davis, acquiring Smith on a veterans minimum contract makes a lot of sense. As a career 37% shooter from three-point range, J.R. could help create some of the spacing on the perimeter that Los Angeles lacked last season. Exactly how much more quality basketball Smith has left in the tank, though, remains to be seen. After averaging 12.4 points during the Cavs title run, he’s followed that up by averaging 8.6, 8.3 and 6.7 points over the last three seasons.
