Earl Joseph "JR" Smith is my favorite NBA player. It's true. Most folks from Cleveland would say either LeBron James or Kyrie Irving, but I'm a card carrying member of #JRHive. I was a fan during his time in Denver. I became a stan when he got to New York. Madison Square Garden provided the perfect stage for his style of play. His smooth layups, catch, and ability to shoot threes provided a contrast to Carmelo Anthony's low post bully ball. His toughness on the court earned him comparisons to John Starks. And who could forget the infamous "you trying to get the pipe" DM as well as the Hennessy fueled antics? As a Cavalier, it's been all about the contested shots and no look passes. JR blends well with any Cavalier he takes the court with, and he quickly became well loved by Cavs fans everywhere. He's fun to watch, both on the court and off. Whether it's his Instagram videos with his teammates, or his shirtless antics following the championship victory. Cleveland loves JR, and JR loves Cleveland. So why won't we pay him?
JR became a Cavalier in January 2015 when he was included in a three team trade that sent Dion Waiters to the Oklahoma City Thunder, and brought Smith and Iman Shumpert to Cleveland. JR was an instant lift to the squad, shooting 39% from three and averaging 12 points per game during his first season for the wine and gold. His second season again saw steady contributions, but he came alive in the playoffs, shooting 43% from three and helping the Cavs turn heads with their shooting performances. He led the Cavs in their record breaking performance against the Hawks in the second round, shooting seven-for-13 from three. Smith's habit of hoisting contested long-range shots is no doubt fun to watch, but his biggest contribution comes in the form of team chemistry.
The Cavs have a tight-knit group of players, and it shows on the court. The difference between the '14-'15 squad and the '15-'16 edition is night and day. They played as one unit, in tune with each other's strengths and weaknesses. They were also a lot more fun to watch off-the-court, on social media, and in their public appearances. Shirtless JR and LeBron's drunken parade speech are perfect testaments to the team's off-the-court chemistry. As are social media spectacles like Richard Jefferson's Snapchat, and Kyrie and Iman's running man challenge.
David Griffin went on record saying the goal for the offseason was to keep the group from last year together in Cleveland, and the front office has done that, for the most part. Matthew Dellavedova, Timofey Mozgov, and Dahntay Jones are gone, and Mo Williams and Sasha Kaun have retired. However, LeBron James, Richard Jefferson, and James Jones have all signed back on with the Cavs. JR is the only core member of last year's NBA championship team that has yet to sign an extension. It's possible that the front office is trying to avoid a repeat of last summer's negotiations with Tristan Thompson, where they ended up greatly overpaying. However, by doing so, they risk creating a similar situation. JR is already not participating in training camp, and if the negotiations continue to drag on, he could miss part of the NBA preseason schedule as well.
It's no secret JR wants to stay in Cleveland, and the front office wants to see JR back in the wine and gold. David Griffin, don't let these contract negotiations be a repeat of last summer's Tristan Thompson stalemate. There's only one correct option here: Pay JR!
