#1 J.R. Smith
J.R. Smith has not played since November after he publicly questioned the Cavaliers' desire to win. The veteran was linked with a move to the Lakers, although a deal was never completed, and Smith sat out the remainder of the season.
It is expected that teams will be hesitant to sign Smith this summer due to his persistent off-court issues, although Chris Crouse of Hoops Rumors believes that a deal could be completed as teams look to save cap space:
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Smith’s 2019/20 salary of $15.68MM is only guaranteed for $3.87MM, Another team that lacks cap flexibility could potentially use his contract to quickly carve out upwards of $18MM in extra cap space.
The Cavaliers have a trade chip that no other team possesses, though the clock is ticking on the asset; Smith’s entire salary for next season will be fully guaranteed if he’s on the roster come July 1.
Smith made just 11 appearances during the 18-19 season, averaging 6.7 points and 1.9 assists per game.
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