A lengthy absence from basketball took a mental toll on JR Smith, the veteran guard admitted to reporters on Monday. David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Lengthy NBA absence left Lakers' JR Smith 'very depressed'

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 7/6/20

Before guard JR Smith agreed to join the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the NBA restart scheduled to get underway on July 30, he last made an official league appearance on Nov. 19, 2018, as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The 34-year-old told reporters on Monday he struggled to adapt to life away from the sport.

"I went through a very depressed state for a long time," Smith said during a Monday videoconference, as ESPN's Dave McMenamin wrote. "And it lasted for a few months, where I just didn't -- I'm a big video gamer, I didn't even play 2K anymore. I don't want to hoop, I don't want to work out, I don't want to play 2K, I don't want to do anything with basketball.

"I was gone for a while, and for being somebody who has been around the league predominately for most of their adult life, when that's kind of taken away from you, it kind of gives you that culture shock and you obviously don't understand what you lost until it's gone," Smith continued. "So, for me more than anything, I just want to appreciate the moment for what it is, and whether it be next year or never again, I just want to enjoy every possible moment that I get."

In joining the Lakers, Smith teams back up with LeBron James. The two earned championship rings as members of the Cleveland squad that defeated the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals.

Two years later, Smith made headlines when he infamously forgot the score in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals. Smith was ultimately able to laugh off the miscue:

One thing that's no joke this summer is James' pursuit of a fourth career title. Last week, Los Angeles forward Anthony Davis told reporters he believes the coronavirus-related layoff that began when the Association halted play on March 11 has boosted the club's odds of winning the championship.

After James left Cleveland for the west coast in the summer of 2018, Smith appeared in only a handful of games with the Cavaliers before both parties agreed to a split. No team traded for the sharpshooter's services, however, and he remained unlinked with an organization until the Lakers came calling.

It's unknown how much he'll contribute coming off his prolonged hiatus.

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