J.R. Smith’s name is back in the NBA headlines once more after the Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly giving the veteran swingman a chance to show his stuff. The 34-year-old’s conditioning will be the foremost concern by the purple and gold, seeing how the 6-foot-6 cager has been out of action for over a year now.
According to Tania Ganguli of the Los Angeles Times, Smith worked out with the Lakers Monday alongside Dion Waiters. Prior to him entering the picture, Waiters was the first name that surfaced following the move to waive Troy Daniels. Curiously, both are not the point guard that the Lakers were originally targeted by the NBA trade deadline. It indicates that the Lakers are likely going to use LeBron James as its main orchestrator and make up for it by adding more scorers.
Smith is no stranger to battling for championships. He was alongside James when both were still donning the Cleveland Cavaliers colors. Both were also part of the 2016 NBA champion squad. The only downside for Smith is that he had that infamous lack of presence of mind during the 2017-18 NBA Finals. It remains to be seen if James has moved on from that and would be willing to work again with Smith. The former NBA Sixth Man of the Year awardee last played on Nov. 19, 2018.
Waiters have an advantage over Smith because he was able to play three games this season with the Miami Heat. It may not be much but something that would likely be factored in. Also, the 6-foot-3 guard is six years younger than Smith. If Waiters proves he can be an asset moving forward, there is a chance that he can be an investment not only for this season but for the years to follow.
One common thing that both Smith and Waiters share is that both have their share of off-court issues. Both are also not exactly the role model on the basketball court, distractions that head coach Frank Vogel does not need right now.
Hence, it all boils down to what the Lakers will prioritize. Will it be championship experience (Smith) or longevity due to age (Waiters)? Worth noting as well is that Vogel said that filling up that open roster spot is something that can wait. The player likely to fill it up will be the one who the purple and gold will need come the playoffs. As of this writing, nothing more but a workout has transpired, although a decision could be made soon.
