JR Smith trains with Lakers' LeBron James and Anthony Davis ahead of NBA restart

This week, JR Smith practised with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers before the NBA return at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World. Smith was signed by the Lakers on July 1 to replace guard Avery Bradley, who opted out of the NBA restart due to personal reasons. The Lakers have been practising as a team since last month, with the team sharing constant updates through their social media. The Lakers will be playing their first game back against the Los Angeles Clippers on July 30. 

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JR Smith training: JR Smith on his training with his new team less than a month before the NBA restart

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During his recent interview, JR Smith revealed that his focus with the Lakers will be to shoot three-pointers from the corners and wings while defending at a 'high level'. Smith has been linked to the Lakers for this entire season and even worked out with the team in February. However, they signed Dion Waiters instead of Smith. As per reports, the team was looking for a better ball handler. 

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JR Smith training with the Lakers

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Smith's signing with the Lakers received mixed reactions, especially due to his history with James while they played for the Cleveland Cavaliers. While they led the Cavaliers to their first title in NBA history in 2016, Smith is known for the clutch shot he missed during the 2018 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors. With the game tied at 107, Smith dribbled out the regulation clock and passed to George Hill instead of attempting the clutch shot with few second left in the game. 

James' reaction to Smith's pass to George Hill went viral as people shared memes on social media. The Cavaliers lost the series 0-4 to the Warriors and James joined the Lakers. Smith played his last NBA game in 2018 and the team waived him last year after being unable to find a trade partner. 

While talking to reporters on a video conference call on Monday (Tuesday IST), Smith said that James’ leadership can be tough to deal with for some. “When you get a person on that level, it’s kind of intimidating for a lot of those people who don’t know how to challenge authority,” Smith explained. “But that’s something I’ve never really had a problem with." He added that getting into 'touch conversations' as teammates is necessary and is the only way one can grow as an individual and as a team. 

(Image source: JR Smith official Instagram account)