Did Lakers sign JR Smith, LeBron's ex-teammate, to complete an entertaining roster?

The Los Angeles Lakers Lakers reportedly signed a deal with JR Smith this week, reuniting their star LeBron James with his former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate. Smith's signing received mixed reactions online, as people failed to understand how JR Smith will help the Lakers win the championship in Avery Bradley's absence. While the new addition to their roster might provide the Lakers with a slight edge, the Lakers have seemingly added the last piece to their already entertaining roster.

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Why did the Lakers sign JR Smith, who has not played in the NBA for over a year?

Though JR Smith has 15 years of experience in the NBA, he has not played professional basketball since he was waived by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018. While there were rumours about the Lakers singing Smith throughout the 2019-20 season, fans expressed surprise when the deal was reported to be finalised. Though Smith has no experience with the current Lakers roster and their head coach Frank Vogel, he has the most experience playing with James. While Smith could spend most of his time on the bench, the Lakers could use his experience with James to gain an advantage during the NBA playoffs.

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Have the Lakers signed NBA veterans who have some kind of history with LeBron James?

Smith, who is meant to replace Bradley, was waived by the Cavaliers after he requested a trade. Though Smith might not make much difference to the Lakers team, they could use an NBA veteran who can immediately contribute. Smith won the 2016 championship with James, before the latter left to play for the Lakers. Smith is mostly remembered for the 2018 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors.

With four seconds left on the clock and the score tied at 107-107, Smith passed to George Hill instead of attempting a clutch shot. Smith was ridiculed for his mishap, while James' memes were shared on the internet as he desperately gestured Smith to attempt a shot. While no issues between James and Smith were reported, fans have been excited to see the duo hopefully play another NBA Finals together.

However, Smith is not the only NBA veteran with history on the team. Rajon Rondo (who was signed the same year as James), was James' rival from 2008 to 2013 while he played with the Boston Celtics. Rondo was inconsistent during the regular season, making it difficult to predict his postseason contributions. JaVale McGee, who previously played for the Warriors, was more famous for his role in Shaqtin’ a Fool than his game. Dwight Howard, who has now redeemed himself while with the Lakers, came close to falling out with the league in 2019. James and Howard were MVP contenders from 2007 to 2009. Lakers signed Markieff Morris in February, who is playing for his fourth team in two years. The Lakers' last signing was Dion Waiters, who played with James in 2014. While with the Cavaliers, Waiters and James did not get along. The 28-year-old was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, which coincidentally brought Smith to the Cavaliers. 

Along with their history with James, these players have also faced some controversial moments in their career. Though the Lakers have many veterans on their team, not all of them performed during their multiple years in the NBA. James has led the Lakers this entire season, with Anthony Davis providing necessary support. While Smith and the others add experience to the team, they also make the Lakers roster more entertaining, according to fans. 

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Could JR Smith end up being a scapegoat for LeBron James?

While most fans blame Smith for the missed shot during the 2018 NBA Finals, many have also pointed out that James also made an error during the final few minutes of the game. James, who asked Smith to shoot over Durant, had previously let go of a shot over Steph Curry before passing to Hill. If the Lakers end up bowing out of the postseason, people believe that the blame could be shifted to Smith instead of James. Fox Sports' Skip Bayless had recently taken a dig at James regarding the matter, stating that Smith was the Lakers star's favourite scapegoat. 

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