J.R. Smith has always marched to the beat of his own drum. He shoots when he is supposed to pass and passes when he is supposed to shoot, yet he is beloved by both fans and coaches for his electric style of play. After helping the Cleveland Cavaliers win the NBA Championship this June, Smith wants to get paid.
It has been reported by ESPN that Smith will miss Cavaliers minicamp due to his current contract standoff with the team. The 31-year old shooting guard signed a one-year deal last year that he believed he could leverage into a longer term deal after a strong year. Unfortunately for him, the Cavs aren’t budging.
The two sides have been in a standoff since July and very little has been shown that this could get resolved in short order. Looking at comparable deals for guards of his caliber, Smith has to be like a cartoon character from Looney Tunes – all he can see is dollar signs. The Cavaliers have signed a multitude of players to long-term deals only making the situation worse, Smith believes he is the next person in line to receive such a deal.
Smith has never been known to avoid the spotlight as his comments and play always lead to plenty of storylines. Do you cut ties with a player that might be too much of a headache? They have shown they can win with him in the lineup and for all intents and purposes, he is beloved by his teammates.
As the team starts to work out in Santa Barbara, California, surely his teammates will want him in camp as they try to defend their title. Until then, maybe he can start another Twitter beef.
[ESPN]
