Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard J.R. Smith hasn’t played in an NBA game since Nov. 14, but that doesn’t seem to be deterring other teams around the league from having interest in him.
According to a report by Joe Vardon of The Athletic, the Milwaukee Bucks are interested in the sharpshooting veteran.
“The Milwaukee Bucks have interest in JR Smith, sources said, though Smith and the Cavs are not close on a buyout,” Vardon wrote. “There is very little incentive for Cleveland to buy him out, and at this stage in his life, NBA money is important to Smith.”
Vardon then broke down exactly why it’s unlikely for the Cavs to buy out Smith.
“Smith is guaranteed $3.9 million for next season and $15.7 million if he’s on Cleveland’s roster July 1,” he wrote. “What this means for the Cavs is — there is great reason to hold on to him for the rest of the season, and then try to trade him before July 1. If they fail, then they either waive him by June 30, paying him the $3.9 million to walk, they take on his full contract with the hope of being able to trade it by the February deadline next season, or they keep him past July 1 in an effort to trade him by a late August deadline to ‘waive and stretch’ his contract. In essence, this would be risking $12 million for an extra two months to trade him.”
When put that way, it’s quite obvious why the Cavs are not granting Smith the buyout he desires.
