At the end of the day, talent trumps everything. Two contending teams need an explosive scoring two-guard, so in spite of all the red flags he may produce via bad relationships with coaches and off-court drama, J.R. Smith is potentially getting a shot at a ring this year.
According to ESPN, the Mavericks and Bulls are exploring trades for J.R. before the deadline. Dallas has been looking for an answer on the wing ever since Caron Butler went down for the season with a knee injury, and Chicago has been looking for the right fit alongside Derrick Rose ever since they lost Ben Gordon two years ago.
Smith is in the final year of a deal that pays him $6 million this season. He’s averaging 11.5 points while hitting 35 percent of his threes.
Word out of Denver, however, is that the Nuggets want to keep Smith and continue making a run at the playoffs following the Carmelo trade. If Smith isn’t going anywhere, then, Chicago is also looking at Courtney Lee. Houston reportedly wants Omer Asik in exchange for Lee.
