inliner311
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He may have no value. Entirely possible. I think a buyout is off the table though. Unless Smith is willing to give back some major money, I'd guess the Cavs will sit on the contract to see if it has any value in trade after the Finals. If not, they'll just release him and pay the buyout for next season.
I don't think we'll know his value until we get past the Finals. It's true that no team has a guarantee of signing anyone, but there are also several teams that won't have space to make a max contract offer unless they make a trade like this.
Yeah I don't think we should buy him out because of the off chance a team needs a contract like his for a opt in and trade.
I just think a team that is going to go after a max contract player in free agency will line that up at the trade deadline. If at the last minute a player indicates they want to sign with a certain team and they need to clear the cap space, I think there will tanking teams with cap space willing to just absorb a contract. If you look at what the Bulls are doing right now they are just taking in cash for players, not even asking for assets. JRs guaranteed money and tanking teams not even asking for assets, doesn't sound like a recipe for us getting good asset from JRs contract.
If the rockets or any team offers the right package for JR at the trade deadline, I would take it. I wouldn't hedge that his contract's value will be higher after the finals. Even if it's just Brandon Knight, Chriss, and first round pick for JR and two lesser 2nd round picks, I'd do it. Knight have potential to be valuable in a year and I'd take a 1st round pick in the 20's over two second round picks 45 or lower.