J.R. Smith played a key role in helping the Cleveland Cavaliers win their first NBA championship last season but will he take his talents to an Eastern Conference rival this campaign?
Smith is an unrestricted free agent with less than a month to go before opening night.
Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reported Sunday that “several teams” are interested in Smith, and that the Boston Celtics are among them.
However, Isola notes that the Celtics probably would need to free up additional salary cap space to sign the veteran shooting guard.
Smith, 31, would improve Boston’s outside shooting, which has been one of its most glaring weaknesses over the last few seasons. The Celtics shot just 33.5 percent on 3-point shots last season — the third-worst mark in the league.
Smith averaged 12.4 points per game and shot an impressive 40 percent from beyond the arc in 2015-16.
He does have a history with Celtics forward Jae Crowder, though. Smith was ejected from a 2015 first-round playoff game and was suspended for hitting Crowder in the head.
Thumbnail photo via Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports Images
