Whatever his plans are after returning to the United States, free agent guard J.R. Smith isn't telling anybody, at least not year. Despite reports earlier Thursday of the former Denver Nuggets guard signing with the New York Knicks, Smith has at least kept open the possibility of signing with the Los Angeles Clippers or Los Angeles Lakers, at least superficially.
Smith returned to the U.S. from China on Thursday, and has been tweeting fans and friends online for most of the evening. Apparently his deal with New York is not yet done, as his Twitter page shows "NYK? LAL? LAC?" as his biography:
Earlier on Thursday, Clipper Darrell tweeted "WELCOME TO LOS ANGELES" to Smith, and Smith retweeted it and added, "Thanks." One wonders whether Smith simply landed at Los Angeles International Airport and was simply accepting the welcome as one to the city and not the team.
Whether Smith ultimately joins old teammates Chris Paul, Kenyon Martin, and Chauncey Billups in Los Angeles remains to be seen, but at least he shares a fondness of them from afar. Smith was watching the Clippers play the Portland Trail Blazers Thursday night, tweeting, "Watching the clipper game in the airport! #lovetheUS."
Is Smith simply stringing along Los Angeles as his agent crosses the t's and dots it i's on Smith's contract with New York? Who knows? But we will find out soon enough.
To discuss Smith signing up with the Knicks, head on over to Posting and Toasting. To talk about how Smith could've fit in with the Clippers and where L.A. should go from here, check out Clips Nation.