Cavs: J.R. Smith reportedly could just be waived, and that’s fine

The Cleveland Cavaliers did not have any takers for J.R. Smith via trade during the 2019 NBA Draft, and Smith reportedly could just be waived, which would be fine.

The Cleveland Cavaliers seemingly had a quality trade piece to dangle in J.R. Smith, and likely during the 2019 NBA Draft, whether that would possibly return a first-round pick for this year or reportedly in other future years.

Smith’s contract structure for 2019-20, as we’ve often highlighted here at KJG, is the reason Cleveland (and myself included, too) is the reason why it was feasible to believe that the Cavaliers would have been able to get a decent trade return.

Smith, a player that is on an expiring contract after next season (if it was played out at least), is only guaranteed to make $3.87 million, if he is waived by June 30; if he is not waived (which he almost certainly will be), Smith’s contract for next year would be for $15.68 million (both contract amounts courtesy of Spotrac).

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That being said, due to Smith’s contract being negotiated in the last NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, his trade value would still be the full $15.68 million amount, and that was seemingly enticing in potential deals with other teams looking for cap relief, as reporters such as Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor, The Athletic‘s Joe Vardon, Sam Amico of Amico Hoops and others have emphasized.

While there’s seemingly a bit of a possibility a Smith trade could still happen before Smith’s almost-certain waiving near month-end, based on a report from the aforementioned Vardon (subscription required), it seems pretty likely that Cleveland could just end up waiving Smith and paying him that $3.87 million, anyhow, because a trade partner may not be there now.

The Cleveland Cavaliers made three picks in the 2019 NBA Draft on Thursday, and all three of those selections in Darius Garland, Dylan Windler and Kevin Porter Jr. (acquired via reported trade, as we’ve referenced) will have fully guaranteed contracts on the books for next season.

That’s because each was a first-round pick.

Plus, as noted by Bleacher Report’s Rob Goldberg, the Cleveland Cavaliers are already $5 million over the luxury tax line (per Spotrac).

Though Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman reportedly said Cleveland is “definitely going to investigate” potential trades centered around Smith, per the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram‘s Rick Noland (and h/t Goldberg) and likely would involve taking back bad contracts from other teams in exchange for a future asset, it seems more likely that a potential trade won’t happen now.

Vardon detailed that because of the team’s payroll/roster numbers now (following the draft especially), that Cleveland would likely have a much higher luxury tax bill.

So, if the Cavaliers end up simply waiving Smith before the end of the month, that’d be fine, and it looks as though their 2019 NBA Draft turnout could bring some key young pieces for the coming years, anyhow.

Either way, a potential trade for Smith wouldn’t be about his play, which has declined in recent seasons, and due to him reportedly not being an active member of the Cavaliers since last November, Smith appeared in only 11 games in 2018-19 (per Sports Reference).

In those contests, he averaged 6.7 points per game on just 41.8% effective field goal shooting (again, per Sports Reference).

We’ll see what happens with Smith by month-end, and maybe a deal does eventually happen, though, as Cleveland (and Altman, in particular) have been no stranger to making trades, and owner Dan Gilbert has shown willingness to spend to help Cleveland time and time again, at any rate.