As of today, no NBA team has signed J.R. Smith of the Cleveland Cavaliers yet. If no NBA team will get Smith, it is more than likely that he will stay with his current team. But a number of NBA trade rumors are going around saying that the Celtics is interested in signing up Smith.

One Team Has Signified Its Interest

A recent report from the New York Daily News indicated that the Boston Celtics are among some NBA teams that are interested in getting Smith. Frank Isola who wrote the report said that these teams are hoping to deepen their bench before the season starts.

If Smith is taken by the Celtics, he will possibly play a backup role. He's role will likely be that of a support to the current shooting guard of the team, Avery Bradley. But it is unclear if Smith will be willing to let go of his starting spot.

But There Are Barriers To the Deal

Some NBA trade rumors speculate that there is another barrier to the deal - money. The Boston Celtics only have a space cap of $9 million. To get Smith, the team has to come up with $15 million. The possibility of Smith willing to play the sixth man on the team is another obstacle.

Why Is The Celtics Interested?

There are a lot of reasons for the interest shown by the Boston Celtics on the still unsigned J.R. Smith. He would be an effective addition to the Celtics because of his shooting and scoring prowess off the bench. But letting Smith go will definitely hurt the Cleveland Cavaliers.

No less than Lebron James manifested his desire for his NBA team to sign up Smith for another deal. The Boston Celtics are the closest rival of the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference. And letting Smith go to the other team can really hurt the chances of Cleveland of retaining their NBA crown.