Ever since the Cleveland Cavaliers banished veteran guard J.R. Smith from the team in November, he’s had ample free time on his hands.
A new social media post indicates that his driving habits have the potential of getting him in trouble with the law.
The 33-year-old Smith’s career with the Cavs ended on Nov. 20 when the team announced that he would no longer play for the team. That decision came in the wake of Smith’s blistering opinion that the team was deliberately tanking this season in order to obtain a high draft pick in this June’s draft.
When the Cavaliers originally acquired Smith from the New York Knicks in January 2015, the guard’s past off-the-court behavior had often overshadowed his basketball talents. During his time in Cleveland, his behavior was largely held in check, though some on-court problems led to discipline from the league
Efforts by the Cavs to trade Smith haven’t panned out, with next Thursday’s trade deadline looming. The team is paying him $14.7 million to not play for it this season and is scheduled to pay him $15.7 million next season for the final year of the four-year deal he signed in October 2016.
However, Smith is only guaranteed $3.87 million of that amount for next year, with the Cavaliers (or whatever team would acquire him) presumably releasing him and paying him that latter amount.
