The Los Angeles Lakers decided to sign JR Smith as the replacement of Avery Bradley, who opted out of the resumption of the season due to health concerns. Smith is already practicing with the team and he seems very confident that he can do good things to help the team win the championship this year.
It’s unclear if he will remain with the Lakers once the season is finished, but he doesn’t think much about that. Smith told The Los Angeles Times he’s just trying to live the moment, one day at a time, and that’s it.
“I just take it a day at a time,” Smith said. “Literally a breath at a time. Because I’ve been out for a while. Being around and being in that environment is so refreshing and much needed.”
In L.A., he reunited with LeBron James, whom he spent 4 seasons with, racking up four straight Finals appearances with the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning one championship in 2018. Smith reveals he feels comfortable challenging Bron, claiming that he can handle the King’s fury and given all the time they spent together in Cleveland.
“I know how ‘Bron can get pissed and people are not gonna know how to deal with it. So it gives that gap of understanding,” Smith said, insisting James is “still all about winning” while drawing a parallel with the way Michael Jordan dealt with teammates in “The Last Dance” documentary.
“Because as we’ve all seen in the MJ doc … he was so hard on his teammates and stuff like that. But we got a case like LeBron, it’s different,” Smith said, “because obviously he does everything he wants to do to win, and everything else. It kind of comes off in the wrong way sometimes. And you need that bridge as a player to be posted to the next player, like ‘Hey look man, it’s nothing personal.’ ”
JR is ready to help this team win it all this season. He’s already training and is looking good. The Lakers remain as one of the favorites to win the title this year despite the loss of Avery Bradley. Smith can do the job and he’s ready to go to war with his new team.
