J.R. Smith is officially back with the Cleveland Cavaliers. On Friday, Smith and the Cavaliers agreed to a four-year, $57 million deal following a long holdout for nearly the entire offseason. In a video posted on Uninterrupted, J.R. confirmed the news of his new contract and revealed that he and his wife, Jewel Harris, are expecting another child.
Even before reaching a new contract agreement, Smith was still hanging out with his "brothers."
So, when news of Swish re-signing with the team surfaced, his Cavaliers teammates were more than happy to have him back. "You don't replace a guy like Swish," James Jones told Cleveland.com after the Cavs' preseason game against the Chicago Bulls last night. "The only person that can replace Swish is Swish. That's why he's a unique talent." Richard Jefferson praised Smith and his role towards helping the Cavs win their first NBA title last season, saying, "He's one of us."
Tristan Thompson went on Instagram to convey his excitement towards Smith's return, adding, "He deserves every penny!!!"
Back in September, LeBron James expressed his frustration over the Cavs' inability to come to terms on a new deal with Swish, one year after struggling to reach an extension with Thompson. "I hate coming into another season—two years in a row—with one of my big guns not here," James said. "So, for a leader of a team and for me personally, I just hate to deal with this shit again." Now, LeBron is "so damn happy" to have Smith back.
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