The Los Angeles Lakers officially signed J.R. Smith on Wednesday, and the former Cavs will be joining the team for the Orlando bubble games that will commence playing on July 30. Smith playing for the Lakers will reunite him with LeBron James, and the superstar could hardly contain his join in welcoming the shooting guard.
In an Instagram post, James expressed happiness that he gets to play with Smith anew. The two figured prominently when Cleveland waged rivalry with Golden State between 2014 and 2018. James and Smith worked together on consecutive appearances on the NBA Finals, and they managed to win a championship, which should tell that they share good memories.
It was evident with the way King James welcomed Smith to the Lakers roster, saying: "Right back at it like we never left."
Fadeaway World said James is optimistic that the level of play he saw with Smith while at Cleveland will be seen again in Los Angeles. The 34-year-old has been inactive for nearly two years, but James seemed convinced that Smith is worthy given to him.
The Lakers decided to bring in Smith for the NBA season restart when Avery Bradley confirmed last week that he is not playing. The minimum expectation for Smith is to do what he does best. He needs to sink the ball as he did with James for Cleveland.
It will help too if he can play the same role that allowed the Cavs to deny the Warriors one, Larry O'Brien. Smith's presence on the court boosted James' game, and the Lakers are hoping he can mirror the same in Orlando.
According to Silver Screen & Roll, the Lakers were sold on Smith because of his perceived chemistry with James, which was confirmed by head coach Frank Vogel.
"There's a lot of similarities to the things they did in Cleveland. That definitely is a factor in what we feel J.R. can bring to the table in what is going to be a very short time to get acclimated," Vogel was reported as saying.
As Smith is a known threat from the outside, he will give the space for James to work better on the floor, and when pinned down, the ball could be passed on an opened Smith. The bottom line, the two collaborating again provide more possibilities for James, who will be the Lakers' workhorse in the postseason games.
Smith has the breed to win big games, and that alone is valued by the Lakers. Purple & Gold is in a strong position to advance to the 2020 NBA Finals, and the strong presence of a guy who is familiar with winning titles should be a boost for a successful campaign.
James and Smith won an NBA title not too long ago, and the Lakers are upbeat on the prospect of capturing a championship again with the two players on the same side.
