Los Angeles Lakers’ latest addition, JR Smith, seems to know his job in his new team.
Talking to reporters in a conference call on Monday, Smith said he will try to shoot threes and defend at a high level. (via Lakers reporter Mike Trudell)
Over the years, Smith has been a useful three-point shooter. Most recently, he has helped Cleveland Cavaliers in their playoff runs. Smith has played four years for the Cavaliers and was a part of the title-winning team in 2016.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
At the end of the last season, the Cavaliers waived him and he had to wait a while before joining any other team. Smith said that during this period he was initially thinking a lot about getting a new team, but lately, he has concentrated more on staying fit.
The Lakers have signed him as a replacement for Avery Bradley, who confirmed his unavailability for the NBA‘s restart inside the bubble.
Smith said there was a time where he was constantly messaging his agent wondering about roster spots on teams, but he stopped worrying about it and just focused on staying in shape, keeping himself ready in case he got a call.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) July 6, 2020
Smith will be a useful addition to Los Angeles Lakers, says coach Frank Vogel
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Talking about their new addition, Vogel was positive that he would help them in their quest to become the season’s champions.
“Watching him workout, he’s done a remarkable job of keeping himself in shape and staying ready … His nickname is “Swish” for a reason. I think he’s really going to help us,” Vogel said during Monday’s conference call.
As the season’s restart gets nearer, players have started individual workouts but are yet to practice as a team. Vogel talked about another of their recent additions, Dion Waiters.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
“He shot the heck out of the ball yesterday,” Vogel said of Waiters. “He’s working extremely hard and looks really good. Like JR (Smith), both of these guys haven’t played full contact basketball in some time, so conditioning will be a concern, but the talent is obvious.”
The Lakers might have small adjustments to make for the new guys to settle. Thankfully, their incredible record prior to the league’s suspension means that they can afford to experiment a little during the eight seeding games.
