J.R. Smith established himself as one of the most important role players for the Cleveland Cavaliers last season, so even when he opted out of his contract this summer, it always seemed likely he would return to the team. On Thursday he did just that, penning a new pact with the Cavs.
Smith announced the news on Instagram Thursday night:
Smith, 29, averaged 12.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 31.8 minutes per game with Cleveland, appearing in 46 contests after joining the team in January in a trade from the New York Knicks.
While he struggled early on in the NBA Finals and shot just 31.2 percent from the field in the series, he became a crucial offensive producer in the postseason in general, especially when Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving went down with injuries.
Now, he'll once again be expected to be a key cog for a Cleveland team that, should it stay healthy and retain all of its key players in free agency, will look to once again win the Eastern Conference and perhaps take home an NBA title this year.
Maybe the allure of obtaining a ring in Cleveland was simply too enticing for Smith to pass up.
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