What would it take for the front office for the Chicago Bulls to buy-into looking into the free agent signing of JR Smith?
With free agency all but concluded around the NBA, there seems to be less than a dozen names left even worthy of discussion for where their best potential landing spots could be this summer. One of those less than dozen names that sticks out now is the veteran former Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard JR Smith. Is it worth it for the Chicago Bulls to go after him?
Since the biggest remaining need for the Bulls in this cycle of free agency is to add depth at the two and/or the three, Smith could fill a potential positional need there. This 6-foot-6 and 225 pound shooting guard could play at either position depending on how Chicago Bulls head coach Jim Boylen wants to run his rotations.
If the Bulls are going to in fact play more small ball lineups that run faster in transition, then Smith could help to continue to improve the floor spacing on the wing. Outside of the former Washington Wizards small forward Otto Porter Jr., the Bulls don’t have much shooting to help space the floor beyond the arc. Smith is better than a career 37 percent shooter from three-point range.
The only other option for this point for the Bulls as a true wing in the lineup is second-year former Boise State Broncos small forward Chandler Hutchison. Although in the NBA Las Vegas Summer League, Hutchison didn’t show any of the necessary strides he would have to take forward coming off an injury that caused him to miss roughly half of his rookie season.
However, would it be too much for the Bulls to take on the risks that would be Hutchison, shooting guard Denzel Valentine, and Smith all in the same part of the rotation for Boylen? Smith is never a sure thing for any team, and his end to his tenure with the Cavaliers was weird to say the least.
Once guard JR Smith clears waivers, the Los Angeles Lakers are an unlikely destination, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 15, 2019
After Smith was waived by the Cavaliers last weekend, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Los Angeles Lakers weren’t likely to land him. That really eliminated what seemed like the most likely landing spot in free agency for Smith before the Cavaliers officially waived him.
If even the Lakers and that locker room that was so dysfunctional last season doesn’t want to take on Smith, then it would be a challenging risk for John Paxson and Gar Forman. The Lakers did do a better job pulling it all together this summer, but the dysfunction is still in question under general manager Rob Pelinka.
Yet, the positives for the Bulls in pursuing Smith would be the veteran presence he brings to the table and experience as a former NBA Champion. Alongside superstar forward LeBron James in Cleveland, Smith beat the Golden State Warriors to win an NBA Championship a few years back. He would also be a very capable floor spacer that comes at a bargain bin contract price.
What JR Smith would also bring to the table for the Chicago Bulls is a solid two-way player that could come off the bench that posted a 116 defensive rating last season. He’s also accustomed to taking better care of the basketball than most fans and people in the media would give him credit for. A turnover rate in five seasons with the Cavaliers of 8.5 to go along with more than 46 career win shares, and a career 14.5 value over replacement player rating are all major positives to getting Smith in the mix.