J.R. Smith will be a no-show at the Cleveland Cavaliers' minicamp in California this week as the flamboyant shooting guard and the team have yet to agree on a new contract.
In a report from ESPN's Brian Windhorst, Smith and the Cavs remain at an impasse even as players and coaches head to Santa Barbara for teambuilding prior to the start of training camp next week. The current NBA champions assembled in Miami for a camp that helped launch their successful season.
Smith, who played a significant role in the team’s first ever NBA title, opted out of his contract in July and no progress has been made between his agent, Rich Paul, and the Cavs since then. Smith has expressed his desire for a rich, multi-year deal comparable to contracts that shooting guards like Jamal Crawford (3 years, $42M), Kent Bazemore (4 years, $70M), Eric Gordon (4 years, $53M), and Courtney Lee (4 years, $48M) got in this year's free agency.
Last season, the 31-year old shooting guard averaged 12.4 points per game while shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc. Both parties have gone on record for Smith to be in a Cavs uniform in the upcoming season.
The situation is similar to last season when free agent Tristan Thompson held out in the preseason before coming to terms. Smith, at the time, agreed to sign a one-year deal worth $5 million.
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