NBA Rumors: J R Smith Stalemate Heats Up Ties to 76ers

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Jun 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo during an introduction press conference at the Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

This Might Happen… By Accident

So far, we’ve seen how NBA players and agents have used the Philadelphia 76ers to milk their teams for more money. The Philadelphia 76ers have reached out at least twice to back court veterans, offered substantial money, and ended up with nothing to show for it.

The other team came up significantly in their offer.

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But this is the reigning NBA championship team now, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are not so quick to jump under a threat of losing a player. As long as the team has LeBron James, they will be set for playoff level competition.

But the path has already been walked by two NBA veteran guards, and has landed both times with the guard returning with a fat wallet to his original team. But the third time is usually the charm, particularly in the case where neither side really covets the other.

The Philadelphia 76ers are a team looking to become a winner, to build, to improve. That means a team with discipline, with constant measuring, evaluation and feedback. That is the perfect environment for a hungry player, a player who is seeking to achieve something significant, or to pay it forward to the next wave of young NBA hopefuls.

It’s purgatory for a player like J.R. Smith.

Smith is a work hard, play hard style professional. While the work hard is great, it’s that “play hard” that the Philadelphia 76ers are trying to steer clear of. Per Josh Wilson, who touched base on this possibility several weeks ago:

"f 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."

If the Philadelphia have made or will make a significant offer to this player, they must realize that this time everything could turn out significantly different from other such offers. In this case, the Cavaliers may simply call Smith’s bluff, forcing the player to accept the only offer on the table – that of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Next: The Undervalued Veterans Of Philadelphia 76ers

While Smith brings expertise, strong skills in areas of need, and is coming fresh off his NBA championship, he also brings a style of discipline which should give the Philadelphia 76ers pause before pursuing. Can Smith be content to promote and elevate the play of younger teammates for the next year or two of his lengthy career, or does he see the sun setting and wants to win as much as he can while he can?