9 Offseason Moves The Cleveland Cavaliers Must Address
May 12, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard
J. Smith
(5) celebrates in the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bulls in game five of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
J.R. Smith has a $6 million player option for next season, but he’s likely to opt out in attempt to cash in off his stellar playoff run. Granted, Smith was disappointing in the Finals, he did have some huge games en route to helping the Cavs to the Eastern Conference title.
JR Smith told me he'll probably opt out of the final year, $6.4 million of his contract
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) June 17, 2015
It’s probably a smart move, because the Cavs will likely pay more to keep the shooter. He’s the perfect player to have when he doesn’t have to be the second or third best player on a roster. With everyone back healthy next year, Smith won’t have to carry the presser of being a scorer–something he struggled with in the Finals.
He’s the perfect compliment to a LeBron James type player. Smith can just relax on the wing and wait for the rock.
So, why opt out? Because he wants a raise–and he knows he’ll get one.
Next: Keeping Shump?