Cavs Expected to Waive J.R. Smith Monday Unless Trade Partner Emerges

J.R. Smith's career in The Land appears to be coming to a close.

Barring an unexpected trade, the Cleveland Cavaliers are expected to waive veteran guard J.R. Smith on Monday, according to Joe Vardon of the Athletic.

He's due to make $15.68 million in 2019-20, but only carries a dead cap hit of $4.37 million, so the Cavs could effectively "save" $11.31 million by offloading the 33-year-old.

He appeared in just 11 games for the Cavs in 2018 before stepping away from the organization in hopes of forcing a trade. He averaged just 6.7 points, 1.9 assists and connected on just 30.8% of his 3's.

Smith has been an instrumental part of the Cavs' finals appearances in four of the last five years alongside teammate and good friend LeBron James. However, Smith's famous blunder in Game 1 of the 2018-2019 NBA Finals will forever leave a stain on his legacy in Cleveland.

Media speculation as to whether the Smith and LeBron will reunite in Los Angeles have loomed for the past few weeks, and will likely continue until Smith ultimately signs a new contract.

Smith shoots at a career 37% clip from beyond the arc, and can provide helpful floor spacing and leadership for a contending team. However, his chemistry with James makes him a nice, cheap option for the Lakers.