The Los Angeles Lakers do not need J.R. Smith in Orlando.
J.R. Smith has always been an interesting name that has been somewhat connected to the Los Angeles Lakers because of his ties to LeBron James and Klutch Sports but never seemed like a realistic target. Oh boy, how quickly that has changed.
The NBA is gearing up for its return to action in the Disney World bubble at the end of July and as part of that, the deadline for players to decide whether or not they are going to play has passed.
Avery Bradley is one of the few players in the league that has opted not to play. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported the news and followed it up, explaining that Bradley decided against playing for the health of his family.
At forefront of Bradley’s decision to remain w/ his family is the well-being of the oldest of his 3 children. His 6-year old son has a history of struggling to recover from respiratory illnesses and would’ve been unlikely to be medically cleared to enter bubble with his family. https://t.co/yputDg2VJp
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 24, 2020
More power to Bradley. Family comes first. No questions asked.
Subsequently, Woj reported that the Los Angeles Lakers were eyeing Smith to replace Bradley in Orlando. Oh, how the tables have turned.
While it absolutely is smart to check-in on Smith and see how good of basketball shape he is in and potentially bring in him as a “break in case of emergency” option, the Los Angeles Lakers don’t necessarily need Smith.
It is not a bad move in the slightest to sign him. There is value in roster depth. However, there are two primary reasons why the Lakers do not desperately need J.R. Smith as much as it seems after Bradley’s decision.