With the post-deadline buyout nearing, one high profile player being monitored by multiple NBA teams is J.R. Smith. The fate of the disgruntled veteran guard is expected to be known soon and despite his rocky career, there are other ballclubs he could end up playing for.
Smith has not been with the Cavs for over a month now and both parties have agreed to keep their distance as Cleveland looks for an acceptable trade package for the 33-year-old swingman. Head coach Larry Drew has opted to go with the younger players over Smith, a move obviously meant to gauge who is worth retaining and fit in with the team's direction.
The Cavs do have the option of keeping Smith, seeing he carries only $3.9 million in guarantees until the 2019-2020 season. This could end up being a ploy for the Cavs heading into the 2019 draft, hopefully getting their hands on a promising young player or draft pick/s in exchange for giving a team salary relief, Bleacher Report said.
But this will not stop the Cavs from listening to offers from other teams who would be in need of a guard who can play smartly when he wants to. The Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers were previously mentioned as potential spots although nothing has transpired to date. A potential reason may be questions on his conditioning since he has been in exile from Cleveland for quite some time now.
Teams on a roll and beefing up their roster for a playoff run are leading candidates. However, some may view him as more of a salary dump player - meaning he could be traded and eventually waived by teams that do take him in. The NBA vet needs to prove that he still does have the fire within him and play in the big league.
Smith did reveal back in November that he did not want his legacy in Cleveland to be remembered, referring to a rumored buyout in an interview with the Athletic. Apparently, it seems he prefers to be traded.
Unless a team gambles on taking in Smith and then trade him to another team for future assets, he could find himself in limbo for now. Future picks and possibly cash considerations seem to be the leading things that could trigger a trade, pieces that the Cavs need as they try to rebuild the franchise's identity since the departure of LeBron James who is now with the Los Angeles Lakers.
