NBA: Chemistry, Locker Room Issues Could Prevent JR Smith From Getting LA Lakers Contract

KEY POINTS

Los Angeles Lakers were impressed with the workout JR Smith had with the team
Lakers signed Dion Waiters, who competed with Smith on the said workouts
The team will remove one player from the current roster if they will accommodate Smith or another shooter

JR Smith’s name is still up in the air on whether the Los Angeles Lakers will ink him for this season or not. He had an impressive workout with the team alongside Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters, who was later given the contract to play don the purple and gold for the rest of the season.

The struggles of the team in shooting from beyond the arc is giving coach Frank Vogel headaches from the sidelines. Per Lakers Nation, the team is at the lower half of the league in the three-point shooting department – rank no. 22 to be exact – as they are only converting 11 threes a game. Inserting LeBron James’ former teammate with the Cleveland Cavaliers could give the team a boost on that category as he is a career above 37-percent shooter from distance.

All that Smith can do is to wait for the ball to be thrown at him whenever LeBron or Anthony Davis is being double-teamed from the shaded area. With their two best players attracting a lot of defense, a player like Smith can make the opponents’ defense pay if they leave him open. He can also do it on both sides of the court as he is a decent defender.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (39.6), Quinn Cook (37.9), and Danny Green (37.6) hold the best three-point shooting percentage among the players are on the regular rotation – not including the rare attempts by their big men Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee and reserve Jared Dudley.

The issue that may arise, though, would be the way he would jell with the team given his history off-the-court. He was once suspended after allegedly throwing a bowl of soup to Cavs assistant coach Damon Jones, which was published on the NBA website.

Adding Smith could also mean someone on the current roster will be removed and with the chemistry that the team has at this point, adding the 34-year old free agent could alter the bond that the players have already built this season. Cook and Dudley were among the players who could be replaced once the team opens up a spot for a shooter and both of them are the well-loved locker room personalities by the team.