I estimated his value to be $6.5-$7.5 million per season, but the Denver Nuggets locked up J.R. Smith for a little bit less, signing him to a deal averaging $5.5 million per season.
Smith has a history of being a little unruly, so that was probably the reason for the discount.
ESPN’s John Hollinger calculates Smith’s PER to be 18.15, which is the #14 amongst shooting guards, ahead of guys like Joe Johnson, Ben Gordon, Ray Allen and Mike Miller. Smith is a terrific scorer, but his defensive intensity has always been a question mark.
This is a good signing for the Nuggets, because even if they can’t get Smith on board defensively, his contract is very movable.
