J.R. Smith
J.R. Smith is not a player I expect to see the Sixers making any moves towards, but if they did, I would definitely feel as if it was a waste of time. J.R. is a solid role player on a contending team, but the Sixers are not that right now.
Smith is one of those last pieces of the puzzle, the last signing or trade you make to turn your team from a late-playoff team into a title contending team. That’s exactly what the Cavs did with Smith.
Smith, who just won his first NBA title with the Cleveland Cavaliers and won’t put a shirt back on, will likely re-sign with the Cavs. I see a few teams who may be interested in him, but they don’t seem like realistic happenings.
If the Sixers are going to sign a veteran this summer, it shouldn’t be someone like Smith. Smith has never been a leader, and would be a truly poor example to a lot of these younger guys. J.R. is all about partying, the nightlife scene, and being a crazy dude. Somehow, he makes all of that work alongside his career, but he would be a negative influence on guys like Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel who already have poor track records as far as off-the-court behavior is concerned.
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Smith would be too much money for a player that doesn’t make the most sense for Philly. Avoid him at all costs.