JR Smith headlines a group of players that still remains unsigned on the NBA free agent market. The shooting guard decided to opt out of his player option with the Cleveland Cavaliers under the idea that the team would offer him a raise to return. However, instead the Cavaliers re-signed LeBron James, Iman Shumpert and Kevin Love while bringing on other players, leaving little room for Smith and his contract demands. While Cleveland is hopeful they can bring Smith back into the group, other teams are beginning to show interest in the shooting guard.
While many assume Smith is destined to return to Cleveland, other franchises are at least taking a look at the shooting guard. According to Sam Amico of FOX Sports, the Philadelphia 76ers are looking at Smith. They have an abundance of salary cap space and might be the only team left capable of meeting Smith's contract demands. However, Philadelphia has a lot of young wing players leaving little need for Smith. If anything, Philadelphia is eyeing Smith to simply be a "stat stuffer" and someone to include in a trade at a later date.
The Los Angeles Lakers were tossed around as an option for Smith considering they could use as much depth as possible on the roster. However, according to Mark Medina of the LA Daily News, the Lakers have no interest in acquiring Smith. Instead, the team is favoring the development of Jordan Clarkson and D'Angelo Russell and would prefer not to add more players to the backcourt.
Smith is learning a valuable lesson at the moment. Many believe it is not wise to opt out of a contract with nothing lined up as a backup plan. Smith told Grant Wieman of the Pacific Daily News that he was aware of the risk of opting out when he made the decision.
"I just want to be somewhere I can make a difference," Smith said, via the Pacific Daily News. "I don't want to be somewhere I can't have an affect on the team. I would love to be a starter, but it depends on the situation and what team I'm on. Cleveland is in a situation where they don't really need me to start. I can come off the bench and bring the energy and stuff like that."
Smith is right, Cleveland does not need him to be a starter and they might not need him at all at this point. Additions like Mo Williams, James Jones and Richard Jefferson mean they have options at the wing. While Smith could be an upgrade from all of those players, the Cavaliers will simply not bring him back at a high price. Smith was set to earn $6.4 million before opting out and originally wanted more money than that. At this point, if Cleveland brings him back, Smith is not earning anything more than a minimum deal.
