The Los Angeles Lakers will reportedly pass on acquiring recently waived shooting guard JR Smith, as the Cleveland Cavaliers expectedly parted ways with the polarizing perimeter player who would have been guaranteed $15.6 million next season if the Cavs had elected to retain the 33-year-old.
Rebuilding Cleveland had been looking to trade Smith since the beginning of the season but his bloated price tag made that mission practically impossible.
Smith signed a four-year, $57 million deal with Cleveland before the 2016 season in a strange move that followed a series of strange moves where the team handed out long-term deals at the behest of LeBron James, including handing out arguably the worst contract in history to failed big man Tristan Thompson.
Three years later and the team is still trying to cleanse itself of the financial blunders of the LeBron James era.
Smith’s name was obviously connected to the Lakers, as it was expected Smith would reunite with LeBron on a Lakers team that still lacks three-point shooting off the bench.
Smith will turn 34 on September 9th and is coming off a season in which he averaged just 6.7 points on .342 shooting.
After being waived by Cleveland, Smith will earn $4.4 million.
Smith ranks 13th all-time in three-point field goals made.