Lakers' J.R. Smith says he can help teammates handle it when LeBron gets upset

J.R. Smith will join the Lakers in Orlando and while many have wondered how he will contribute to the team in terms of scoring and defending, Smith says that his ability to help teammates handle LeBron James is every bit as valuable.

"I know how 'Bron can get pissed and people are not gonna know how to deal with it. So it gives that gap of understanding," Smith said. "Because as we’ve all seen in the MJ doc ... he was so hard on his teammates and stuff like that. But we got a case like LeBron, it’s different, because obviously he does everything he wants to do to win, and everything else. It kind of comes off in the wrong way sometimes. And you need that bridge as a player to be posted to the next player, like ‘Hey look man, it’s nothing personal.'"

Smith, who was signed to replace Avery Bradley, is certainly not a stranger to having LeBron angry at him. At the end of Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals, LeBron delivered one of the greatest single-game performances in NBA history to give the Cavaliers a chance to upset the Warriors to take an early lead in the series. Smith had a chance to hit a game-winning shot at the end of regulation but he didn't take the shot, as he thought the Cavaliers were already ahead. LeBron's reaction became an all-time great meme.