J.R. Smith Is Staying in Denver

The Nuggets tied up one loose end up re-signing restricted free agent J.R. Smith on Friday. This was expected, but after practically giving Marcus Camby away for free, it was hardly set in stone. GM Mark Warkenstein sounds pleased with his obligatory glowing soundbite:

"We're extremely delighted to have J.R. back," said Warkentien. "His blend of off-the-charts-athleticism and long-range shooting ability is rare, especially for someone his age. We believe his best basketball is still to come."

Did Smith get a good deal? Right now it's impossible to say. Like most teams, the Nuggets have refused to disclose any terms of the contract, not even the length, and no other outlet is filling in the blanks. (Update: The Denver Post reports it's a three-year deal.) But we do know this, courtesy of the Rocky Mountain News:

As of a month ago, Smith said he hasn't gotten an offer from the Nuggets, other than the option to return next season for the $3.04 million qualifying offer. He turned down a three-year extension offer in October worth about $10 million, and there have been no indications the Nuggets are willing to offer a lot more.

My guess? Smith signed for something close to $5 million a season for 2-3 years (Update: It's three years, $16.5 million, per ESPN's Marc Stein). He's only 22 years old, but I doubt he'd want to agree to a longer deal, especially considering the only thing stopping him from getting Ben Gordon money (ie, $10 million plus a year, which Ben Gordon may or may not even get) is minutes. Smith averaged 23.0 points per 36 minutes last year; Gordon, just 21.0. And considering Smith is three inches taller and just as dangerous in the lane as behind the three-point line, there's no question he has loads more long-term upside.