LeBron’s $30 million cap hold means he won’t re-sign till the Cavs have filled out their roster to ease the tax burdens, but he and Smith’s mutual agent Rich Paul know the cards they are holding and they along with J.R. are acutely aware of the sacrifices he has made in the past.
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Unfortunately, for Smith, he didn’t quite get the contract he was hoping for.
The notion of Smith staying with the Cavs is solidified by a report on Cleveland’s official website, where it states that he is expected to re-sign his contract this off-season. After toiling in the open market for weeks longer than most other free agents, Smith eventually had to concede to a two-year, $10.3 million deal – less per season than what he initially turned down.
The rumor going around, Smith is looking for 15 million dollars annually according to Steve Kyler. It’s wonderful to see the money getting thrown around in free agency, but no buzz around Smith’s name. He was a solid role player throughout the season for the National Basketball Association champions, shooting 40 percent from three in the regular season and 43 percent in the playoffs.
Furthermore, given Smith’s age (he’ll be 31 in September) and history of being somewhat unreliable from week to week, any big, long-term contract is a gamble for the Cavs.
What works for Smith’s favor is that LeBron James has some influence in the decision-making of the Cavaliers.
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Given who else Cleveland could add to replace Smith, the logical approach would be for the two to hammer out a deal. He’s said that he wants to re-sign with the Cavs, and they’d like to bring him back, but as one of the best remaining free agents it makes sense for him to listen to offers from around the league. He is an important player for this team, being one of the instrumental players for their championship last season.
