LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Free agent guard JR Smith has signed with the Los Angeles Lakers for the NBA’s season restart, a move that reunited him with superstar LeBron James.
“OFFICIAL: Welcome to the squad,” the Lakers tweeted over a photo of Smith in a Lakers uniform on Wednesday.
Smith, winner of the NBA’s Sixth Man Award as top reserve in 2013 with the Knicks, teamed with James to win an NBA title with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.
He hasn’t played since taking the court with the Cavs during November of 2018, but had worked out for the Lakers in March before the NBA was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.
At the time, the Lakers decided to sign Dion Waiters instead.
Smith, 34, stayed in the Los Angeles area, however, and the Lakers have turned to him after guard Avery Bradley announced last week he was opting out of the NBA’s restart in Orlando, Florida, because of family health reasons.
© Agence France-Presse
