The Los Angeles Lakers don’t return to the court until tomorrow when they host the Memphis Grizzlies in what may be a first-round series preview against the team currently holding the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference standings. However, LeBron James got Lakers fans in a bit of a tizzy on Wednesday night when he gave a shout out to his former teammate, free-agent J.R. Smith, who reportedly worked out for the Lakers earlier this month.
LeBron shared a highlight mix of J.R. Smith from Smith’s days with the Cavaliers, saying that they called Smith “911” because they could throw him the ball in case of emergencies.
LeBron gave a shoutout to J.R. Smith last night on IG pic.twitter.com/Eti1FE5xl1
— LeBron Wire (@LeBron_Wire) February 20, 2020
LeBron is always a good teammate and now is a good time to remember that Smith is also a teammate of LeBron’s on Team Klutch, where he is represented by agent Rich Paul. However, not unlike LeBron’s behind the scenes endorsements for Carmelo Anthony last season, LeBron’s influence in this matter likely won’t override the Lakers organization.
Lakers president Rob Pelinka has a lot to weigh, especially given the state of the team following the tragic death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gigi, and seven others in late January. While adding a player like Smith who has experience in the NBA Finals and in high-pressure playoff games could help, is it really worth cutting someone like Troy Daniels or Jared Dudley, who also have experience making big plays in the postseason?
The Lakers team chemistry has been one of the pillars of their team all season and messing with it even slightly could have disastrous consequences.
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