5 Reason’s Why the Lakers Made the Right Decision Signing J.R. Smith
- Gabriel Soctomah
- Jul 11, 2020
- 3 min read
COLUMBUS, OH - OCTOBER 18: J.R. Smith #5 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots a free throw during a preseason game against the Washington Wizards on October 18, 2015 at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
On Wednesday, July 1st J.R. Smith signed with the Lakers, immediately people wondered if this was the right move for the Lakers. Many wondered if he would get any playing time on a team compressed with talent. Some conjectured if he had wended to L.A. to exploit LeBron in hopes of winning another chip. In this article, I will go through 5 reasons why I think the Los Angeles Lakers made the right decision signing J.R. Smith
1. He Could Play a Big Role On the Lakers Going to the Finals
With the Lakers being at the top of the Western Conference (before the season being suspended), with all-star players and their outstanding team chemistry there's a good chance they'll make it to the Finals. J.R. could contribute in a big way increasing their likelihood of winning the finals. After replacing Avery Bradly as a substitute player the Lakers needed a great defender and a three-point shooter, that's exactly what J.R. brings to the table and more. J.R. was shooting .375% percent from three his last full season and the Lakers were only shooting 35.5% from three (17th in the league) while only making 11 per game (22nd in the league) it's clear Smith could provide some much-needed perimeter scoring that could pave away, and possibly winning the finals.
2. He's Another Veteran on the Team
The Lakers, already having veterans like LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Rajon Rondo, and JaVale McGee J.R. Smith will be yet another veteran on the team. Although the Lakers have a lot of veterans on the team they also have a lot of young talent that can learn a lot from the veterans who've already had playoff and finals experience. This will also be a key point for them in their championship run.
Veteran teams are those who win championships. Don't believe me? Look at teams like the 97/98 Bulls, 06-07 Spurs, 10-11 Mavericks, or 12-13 Miami Heat, these are just a few examples. All of which had a team full of veterans. You can't say veteran teams with playoff experience don't have a better opportunity to win a championship, because they do.
3. He’s Played With LeBron In the Past
J.R. has played with LeBron more than anyone else on the team, playing 5 seasons. And it's likely to be expected that he'll play a similar role as he did in Cleveland. J.R. will know what to expect from LeBron and will know where to be on the floor.
LeBron and J.R. had great chemistry together, which is a crucial part of winning games. With his time with LeBron, LeBron set up J.R. for 824 catch and shoot three’s, of those attempts he shot 41.3%! It's apparent that they have a certain bond with each other, that can enhance their performance. Granted, it's been almost two years since Smith has played a full NBA game but he was been putting in work like a madman, which leads us into the next reason…
4. He’s Been Working
Many may question how his conditioning and game will look like after not playing in an NBA game since November, 19th, 2018. Well, I'd say you have nothing to worry about at all. J.R. Smith has been working nonstop all day every day on his conditioning and his game. His workouts consist of Perimeter shooting, ball control, off-screen scoring, mid-post shooting, off-balance shots, full-court runs, and numerous other drills. Not only do I think J.R. Smith will come back ready for NBA, I think he'll come back better than he ever was in his career, notwithstanding the fact that he's 34.
5. He's Clutch
J.R. Smith is someone you can trust to take a late-game shot. His ability to make such difficult shots at so late in a game is just unbelievable. And yes, J.R. Smith ran out the clock in game 1 of the NBA Finals while still being tied, but I don't think a blunder like that should define someone's career. That's the equivalent of defining Patrick Ewings's career with his miss layup in game 7 that would've taken them into the next round in the playoffs. That's not what fans remember about him. They remember him as a powering center that had great defense, could rebound and score. Not as the guy who missed a layup in Game 7 that could've moved them into the next round. J.R. Smith should be no different. He should be remembered as a player who could hit difficult shots in crucial moments and a player who you could rely on to score when needed, not for his Game 1 blunder.
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