Rumor: J.R. Smith asking for 15mil per

[Hey Yo]

Steve Kyler ✔ @stevekylerNBA
Yikes... hearing JR Smith seeking huge deal to return to Cavs, in the $15m per year range. Can Cavs really pass on bringing him back?

"That request doesn’t seem so outlandish to me, but then again, I didn’t expect Smith to have such a hard time in free agency last summer.

Simply, the capped-out Cavaliers have no mechanism to adequately replace Smith if he leaves. They can pay Smith big money, because they have his Bird Rights. They can’t just allocate it to an outside free agent.

Can they — as a win-now team featuring LeBron James, who shares an agent with Smith — really afford not to appease Smith?

This is starting to resemble the Tristan Thompson situation. Thompson, another Rich Paul client, didn’t sign until the fall, even as other teams used all their cap space. Finally, Thompson re-upped with Cleveland in the fall — on a bigger deal than initially offered.

Can Smith stomach for that type of delay?

He has plenty of leverage and agent who has repeatedly successfully navigated this road, including with Eric Bledsoe two years ago. Paul always seems geared up for this fight. (By the way, LeBron still hasn’t re-signed.)

Smith started for a championship team, his outside shooting adding a valuable dimension. Really, in this situation, $15 million isn’t an awful price. He’s already 30, so the length of the contract could be a sticking point. But the dollars don’t seem so bad.

The Cavs might be reluctant to pay so much, especially if Smith isn’t getting comparable offers elsewhere. Just a few teams still have that much cap space.

Smith might be reluctant to take less, especially after opting out of a higher salary last year. This is probably his last chance at a monster payday.

So, he we are — both sides incentivized not to too budge now, but maybe even more likely to compromise as the season approaches."


http://nba.nbcsports.com/2016/07/18/...medium=twitter

[plowking]

He isn't worth that much. Surely there is a shooter out there that can do a similar job for them? I always thought he was pretty horrible on defense too.

[Thunderfan86]

After reading that, I hope JR Smith gets paid. Give that man what he wants!

[!@#$%Vectors!@#]

deserves 20 a year. led the cavs to a chip.

get it done

[kamil]

Give him max. Every NBA player deserves 30 million a year. Even the benchwarmers.

[Ca$H]

He isn't worth that much. Surely there is a shooter out there that can do a similar job for them? I always thought he was pretty horrible on defense too.

Can they

[BigTicket]

Not really surprising given the contracts that have been handed out so far, I would ask for it if I was him.

Not sure he'll get it, but you can hardly blame the man for trying, I mean Mozgov got $16M per year and Dellavedova got $10M.

[Nastradamus]

I mean, if Crabbe is worth 17.......

[Im Still Ballin]

He's an absolute weapon on a healthy Cavs squad... Probably the best 4th option in the league

[ArbitraryWater]

I mean, if Crabbe is worth 17.......

Crabbe is 24, Smith is 30, and Crabbe is already on his level as player, if not better

[Sarcastic]

He's an absolute weapon on a healthy Cavs squad... Probably the best 4th option in the league

Second best.

Durant is the best.

[CarlosBoozer]

Give him it, man deserves to be paid.

[Nastradamus]

Crabbe is 24, Smith is 30, and Crabbe is already on his level as player, if not better

Age is irrelevant here. If you're expecting SMith to fall off a cliff, fine, let him walk, but Crabbe is basically hoping to be Smith and Smith is part of a title team that is capped out, so he has leverage. 15 is plenty fair in this market. Might settle for 2/25 or 3/40. They gave SHumpert's benched ass 10 per

[CarlosBoozer]

Shumpert got paid and he got zero offense

[Ca$H]

The Sixers should sign him. Simmons needs a floor spacer.