NBA Free Agency: Top 10 Destinations for J.R. Smith

Is J.R. always just going to be a knucklehead with inconsistent play or can he focus his talents? His next move may play a big role in deciding that.

It seems as though the Nuggets and Smith are ready to end their tumultuous relationship at last. The sparkplug/lightning rod will be one of the biggest gambles when free agency hits (hopefully) this year.

Smith's options may be limited as younger teams won't want him corrupting their players and contending teams may not want the chemistry disruption.

Nevertheless, Smith has so much talent that it could make it difficult for the right teams to pass on him.

Orlando Magic

The Dwight Howard clock may be ticking...

Orlando needs to win to keep Howard content there. They handicapped themselves with their moves last year, taking on Turkoglu and Arenas (and Chris Duhon and Quentin Richardson to a lesser extent).

The Magic may have to make a gamble on a free agent. Smith would give them another dimension.

Right now, Orlando's offense is Dwight Howard or a jumpshot on the kick out. Smith would bring a knack for creating his own shot, which is not something others on the team can do regularly.

If focused, he could also be their best perimeter defender.

They already have Arenas, why not throw Smith in the mix?

Phoenix Suns

The Suns seem intent on going for another run with Steve Nash at the helm. Problem is, their talent doesn't quite stack up to the rest of the Western Conference.

They are actually deep at every position... Except maybe shooting guard.

On a team led by veterans Steve Nash and Grant Hill, Smith may be able to find a home. Also, Smith would thrive offensively beside Steve Nash in a run-n-gun offense. He would fill Vince Carter's role but bring more youth.

Smith could jump-start his career and be the piece that gets Phoenix back in to the playoffs. The biggest obstacle may be money, as owner Robert Sarver might not want to make a big investment again after overpaying Josh Childress and Hakim Warrick last year.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers demonstrated their need for more athleticism and shooting in their sweep at the hands of Dallas last year.

With Shannon Brown likely departing, Smith could be a good replacement. His ball-handling and athleticism would allow him to play with Kobe at the guard positions while he could also play the three.

Basketball-wise, this makes a ton of sense. The question is, will veterans like Bryant and Derek Fisher be able to cool down Smith's hot head?

Adding Smith to the mix of Ron Artest/World Peace, Andrew Bynum, Matt Barnes, Lamar Odom and Derrick Caracter may just be too much drama and craziness for a new coach.

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks need scoring and shooting. J.R. Smith is a scorer and a shooter. Perfect right?

Maybe not so much...

Scott Skiles is known for being a strict coach, Smith would not enjoy that. He would probably be sitting on the bench quite often.

Also, the Bucks just acquired Stephen Jackson, basically an older J.R. Smith.

There are a lot of obstacles, but if Milwaukee wants to improve their offense and get back to the playoffs, Smith may be a good gamble.

Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks have a talented group, but have seemingly hit their ceiling in a top-heavy Eastern Conference.

Worse yet, they may very well lose super-sub Jamal Crawford to free agency, and may trade athletic forward Josh Smith.

J.R. may be the perfect replacement. He provides the instant offense (and chucking and inconsistency) that Crawford does off the bench.

If the other J-Smith gets traded, J.R. could take his place on the highlight reels.

Atlanta isn't loaded with seasoned veteran players and a veteran coach that would be good for Smith, but they may need to risk making a move like this one if they hope to make noise in the east in the future.

Chicago Bulls

The Bulls had every major piece in place last year... Except a guard who could take some of the scoring burden off of Derrick Rose.

Once defenses could shut Rose down, Chicago was not hard to stop.

They have rumored since the start of the season to be looking for their starting shooting guard.

Smith would be the perfect addition on paper. He fits in their price range, is a capable scorer, can play defense when he decides to, and can certainly knock down the open shot.

Chicago is a pretty mature team, and though their coach was a "rookie" coach, he is anything but a rookie in the NBA.

It just may be hard to picture a team so focused on chemistry and effort adding such a wildcard as Smith. But it may be a necessary risk to get to the next level.

San Antonio Spurs

A big part of the reason the Spurs were upset in the first round was because of Memphis's superior athleticism and depth on the wings. Both teams had injuries, but Memphis was better able to overcome them.

Smith would add some much needed depth and athleticism to the roster. After trading George Hill, the need for another athletic guard who can shoot and handle the ball is even higher.

This may one of the best situations for Smith. Coach Greg Popovich is a veteran who is well-respected by his players, and is patient with them. Having so many seasoned veterans like Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili around him won't hurt. He would have plenty of playing time at the one, two and three, especially if injuries occur.

For the Spurs, Smith may be the best one piece they are able to add to go for another title run.

Boston Celtics

The Celtics could really use a wing scorer to take some of the pressure and minutes away from Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. They are also another team that could use some more athleticism while trying to make another championship run.

Being near the end of their careers, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce can probably expect to see their minutes continue to drop. Smith could fill in with his scoring and shooting abilities while they are on the bench. Aging teams like Boston really need depth.

Smith could benefit from playing on one of the most veteran team in the league. It is hard to imagine Pierce, Allen, and Garnett allowing Smith to be a headcase if it keeps them from winning.

Doc Rivers would also be a good coach for Smith.

New Orleans Hornets

Like the Magic, the Hornets need to make changes to keep their star happy.

Adding Smith would fill in a hole on the wing. Playing alongside Chris Paul, J.R. could see his numbers skyrocket.

Paul has probably not had any wing players as talented as Smith on his team, so good things could happen.

Smith would have to mind his Ps and Qs though; Marcus Thornton didn't see much playing time last year on the Hornets despite his talent.

New Jersey Nets

Perhaps J.R. Smith isn't exactly the star that the Nets were looking to add alongside Deron Williams.

All the same, some extra scoring at the wing positions wouldn't hurt.

If Smith is playing up to his talent level, a trio including him, Williams, and Brook Lopez would be decent.

The addition of Smith would make guys like Anthony Morrow easier to trade.