J.R. Smith gives back to the Cavaliers

Good morning. You have a solid week? I sure hope so, buddy. Well alright. Let’s basketball.

THEY’RE BRINGING SMITTY BACK (YUP): J.R. Smith is re-signing with the Cavaliers for $5 million, which means he gave up $1.4 million to experience seven weeks of free agent stress. Seems like a bad trade-off. He does have a second year on the deal at an unknown amount with a player option, so not all is lost. And hey, maybe he can spin as an altruistic, Duncanian gift to the rest of Cleveland in the quest for a championship. We’ll all totally buy that.

MEET THE ALL-60S TEAM: The second piece of our All-Decades Team project is out, and it gives me an opportunity to write glowingly about Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain but primarily Bill Russell and also Oscar Robertson and Elgin Baylor but mostly Bill Russell. Paul Flannery also enters with spirited cases for John Havlicek and Sam Jones. Check it out.

WELL, OKAY: Jonas Valanciunas signs a four-year, $64 million extension because he’s tall and money is a false concept. The Raptors rreeeeeeally need him to step out this season.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR MILWAUKEE ... is a healthy Jabari Parker, writes Jesus Gomez.

THIS IS ART NOW: An emoji mosaic of Draymond Green dunking on LeBron in the finals.

THEY WERE ALL WITNESSES: LeBron dunked during a motivational clinic thing in Manila, and the basketball-crazy crowd ate it up. Always fun to see other people experience LeBron live.

RESPECT (I THINK): This human has tattoos of Kobe and MJ staring down each other on her/his calves. I mean, that’s certainly a bold statement.

CAN I JUST SAY ... it’d be a darn shame if The Undefeated didn’t get off the ground?

JIMMY BUTLER THE POINT GUARD? What Butler means when he says he thinks he’s a point guard. (He wants the ball more.)

Hey, have a good weekend, okay? And if you work weekends, don’t work too hard. See you next time.