JR Smith on free agency: "I just want to be somewhere I can make a difference"

J.R. Smith may be a free agent, but he's not far away from a part of the Cleveland Cavaliers coaching staff. According to Grant Wieman of the Pacific Daily News, Smith is helping Cavs Director of Player Development Phil Handy with a camp in Guam, a United States territory in the Pacific.

Without trying to read too much into a small amount of news and information, it's nice that Smith was able to build that type of relationship with Handy, and it's a neat little vacation as well. Of course, Smith isn't a member of the Cavaliers right now. He's an unrestricted free agent, and Wieman got him to comment on the free agency process:

"I just want to be somewhere I can make a difference," Smith said. "I don’t want to be somewhere I can’t have an affect on the team."

He had a strong impact on Cleveland last season when he was traded to the team in January. The Cavs were 19-16 when he joined the team and finished the season on a 34-13 run, reaching the NBA Finals.

Smith was also a full-time starter for Cleveland in the regular season, his first time in that role since his rookie year with the New Orleans Hornets.

"I would love to be a starter, but it depends on the situation and what team I’m on," Smith said. "Cleveland is in a situation where they don’t really need me to start. I can come off the bench and bring the energy and stuff like that."

Smith's success with the Cavaliers was surprising, but in today's NBA you can never have enough shooting. He should not be in a position where he needs to create a lot of offense, but he is a great fit next to Kyrie Irving and LeBron James. If the money isn't too prohibitive, the Cavs should bring him back.