Report: JR Smith Signing With Lakers Through End Of Season

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – LeBron James is set to reunite with J.R. Smith.

Sources told the New York Times' Mark Stein that the Lakers are finalizing a deal with shooting guard J.R. Smith for a contract that will run through the end of the season.

Smith will replace Lakers shooting guard Avery Bradley in the lineup, who announced last week that he won't be joining the team for the Orlando restart because his young son has respiratory issues.

The 34-year-old Smith last played NBA basketball with the Cleveland Cavaliers in November of 2018.

Smith was traded to the Cavaliers in the middle of the 2014 season and was an integral part of their 2016 title-winning team in which he started 77 regular season games, averaging 12.4 points and 30.7 minutes per game.

The Lakers have until midnight Tuesday to get Smith's deal done. That is when the NBA's transaction window closes.

According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, the Lakers are slated to travel to Orlando on July 9 to begin their mini-training camp ahead of the resumed season, which the Lakers kick off July 30 against their crosstown rival Clippers.