You knew the Cleveland Cavaliers would not make a trade for the streaky shooting JR Smith, without having the full consent of LeBron James.
ESPN.com is reporting that James assured Cavs brass that he could play with Smith.
Team officials spoke with LeBron James about his willingness to play alongside Smith before executing the deal, sources said.
The Cavs are attempting to bolster their bench with the trade by adding Smith, a mercurial shooter, and Shumpert, who specializes in wing defense that the Cavs badly need. The Knicks had been attempting to trade both for some time.
Shumpert is currently out with a dislocated shoulder he suffered last month.
The return of Shumpert will provide LeBron with another strong body wing who now becomes interchangeable. For all his short comings, JR Smith can play within a system when he has to. My guess is that he sees the silver lining with the option to opt in for next season. JR can get two years run with a winner if he plays it right.