Lakers Rumors: The guy who really broke the J.R.Smith workout story!
By Ronald Agers
You’ve covered the NBA for years. Based on your experience, Can J.R. help this team?
Scoop B. Robinson:
"He can be in the right circumstances. There were discussions this summer that the Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers and the Milwaukee Bucks had interest. For as much as folks make of some miscues and missteps that J.R. Smith has had, he’s actually a smart basketball player and has a high basketball IQ. What’s redeeming is that guys like J.R. Smith and Dwight Howard have something to prove. The Lakers would be a great place to prove it."
The Lake Show Life staff is divided on how much J.R. Smith can help. This writer admits bias here. But here’s how the Lakers can deal with this wildly mercurial talent.
J.R. Smith is effective when he realizes his career is on the line. Smith played himself out of the league years before playing in China. When he got back to the NBA with the Knicks, Smith teamed with Carmelo Anthony as the NBA’s hottest duo.
It’s when he got the extension, the bad behavior started. When Phil Jackson basically banished him to Cleveland, he was close to the end of his contract. What did J.R. do? He behaved. Then he got an extension from the Cavaliers. The issues started surfacing again.
Get the connection? The Lakers need him for three or four months, not three or four years. Don’t extend him if he does well, just ride out the hot streak if it happens. Even better, give him the same deal Dwight Howard got, if possible. Even if it’s a couple of 10-day contracts.
Now let’s talk about the elephant in the room.