JR Smith signs new Cleveland Cavaliers contract

JR Smith has confirmed that he will be playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season after agreeing a new contract.

The former Sixth Man of the Year, who was traded to the Cavs from the New York Knicks in January, averaged 12.7 points per game after arriving in Ohio, but he struggled in the NBA Finals defeat to the Golden State Warriors before opting out of the final year of his deal.

After signing LeBron James, Kevin Love and Iman Shumpert to new contracts, there were suggestions that Smith would sign elsewhere before he used Instagram to announce his return on Thursday night.

Happy to say that I am returning to the Cavs! It's been a long ride this summer but I can say for sure, well worth the wait. When I opted out of my contract, I wanted to understand the landscape of the NBA and where I fit best. The Cavaliers had things they needed to do in order to piece together a championship caliber roster. I ended up deciding that instead of potentially securing a larger deal elsewhere, I wanted to rejoin an incredible organization in pursuit of the ultimate goal, an NBA championship. Thank you to the Cavaliers for making this happen. Can't wait to get started! #TheLand

A photo posted by JR Smith (@teamswish) on Aug 20, 2015 at 6:17pm PDT

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Smith has signed a two-year deal with a player option on the second year.

Written by
Callum Mulvihill