J.R. Smith wants $15 million per year in his next contract, but is he worth that to the Cleveland Cavaliers?
J.R. Smith wants to get paid this summer, and understandably so with the NBA’s salary cap rising to $94 million. He is looking for a contract that will pay him $15 million annually, according to Basketball Insider‘s Steve Kyler.
There’s no question that Smith is worth it when considering Timofey Mozgov will be paid $16.5 million per year after signing a four-year, $64 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. On the open market, Smith is worth it.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are in a special situation that other teams aren’t. They had the NBA’s highest salary last season, which means owner Dan Gilbert will need to pay a $54 million luxury tax, according to ESPN‘s Marc Stein. It was probably worth it for Gilbert, since the Cavaliers brought Cleveland their first major sports championship in 52 years.
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Times are different now. The Cavs have $54.1 million tied up in salaries between Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson. LeBron James has yet to re-sign and he will likely cost the Cavs an additional $27 million.
Now the Cavaliers do have Smith’s bird rights, meaning they can sign him even if they are above the salary cap. However, the luxury tax that Gilbert would have to pay next season would climb, too.
Is it worth the investment to the Cavs?
Smith, 30, started all 77 of the games he played during the regular season. He averaged 12.4 points per game with a shooting line of .415/.400/.634.
He also started all 21 of the Cavs postseason games. His scoring average dropped to 11.5 points per game, thanks to the takeover by James and Irving. However, his shooting percentages improved to a line of .436/.430/.619.
Smith is a great three-point shooter, but he’s also a streaky shooter. Perhaps the Cavs were prepared to find a replacement for him, by going out and acquiring Mike Dunleavy from the Chicago Bulls.
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Dunleavy, 35, is a veteran sharpshooter with six years of playoff experience. His career shooting line is .441/.376/.784. His three-point percentage has only improved as his career has gone on, with his three-point percentage never dropping below 38.0 percent in his last six seasons.
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He is also a good two-way player with the versatility to play and defend three positions. At 6-foot-9, he can use his size and length to contest shots.
A move for Dunleavy could have been foreshadowing Smith leaving.
But Smith has matured immensely since he came to Cleveland and partnered up with James. They have a friendship and bond that James often forms with his teammates. That’s likely a large reason why Smith is conflicted about the possibility of leaving the Cavs.
General manager David Griffin’s hands are ultimately tied. If it were a basketball decision, there is no question that Smith would return to the wine and gold. But this is a business and it will ultimately be Gilbert’s decision, since he is the CEO of the Cavs organization.
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Smith is worth $15 million per year, there is no question about that. His fit with the Cavs is good, as evident by their championship performance and the pivotal role he played as a two-way player. It ultimately comes down to a business decision, which is why he is and is not worth it to the Cavs.