J.R. Smith could’ve made $6,399,750 this season. Instead, he opted out of his contract and is making just $5 million this year on his new deal.
Smith could make $5,375,000 next season if he exercises his player option. This time…
Chris Haynes of Cleveland.com:
Smith should get a raise this time. The salary cap is skyrocketing, and Smith has another season of steady focus and production under his belt. He isn’t having the finest Finals, but his defense has improved over a larger sample.
I’d bet on the Cavaliers re-signing him. They won’t have enough cap space to get a better alternative, and they can use Smith’s Bird Rights to exceed the cap.
Also important: Smith now shares an agent, Rich Paul, with LeBron James. That’s a major difference from last year.
