Lakers add veteran J.R. Smith for championship push in Orlando

LOS ANGELES » J.R. Smith has joined LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers for their championship push.

The Lakers announced their long-anticipated signing of Smith as a substitute player Wednesday, the first day allowed under the rules of the NBA’s summer restart.

Smith is the Lakers’ roster replacement for Avery Bradley, who cited family reasons last week for his decision not to finish the season with his team in Orlando.

“We’re not going to ask him to come in and be Avery Bradley,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “He’s going to come in and be J.R. Smith. He’s going to just fill that position more than fill that role.”

Smith, 34, hasn’t played in the NBA since November 2018, but the 2013 Sixth Man of the Year is a longtime trusted teammate of James.

Mavs add Burke after Cauley-Stein opts out of resumed season

DALLAS » The Dallas Mavericks signed guard Trey Burke after center Willie Cauley-Stein decided not to rejoin the team for the planned resumption of the season.

Burke spent part of the 2018-19 season with the Mavericks after coming over in the blockbuster trade that also brought Kristaps Porzingis from the New York Knicks.

Burke, 27, played 25 games this season with the Sixers before he was waived in February.

Cauley-Stein, acquired in a deal with Golden State before the trading deadline this year, opted out of playing because of the impending birth of his daughter this month.

Villanova’s Jalen Brunson, one of the backups to Doncic, won’t play if the season resumes because of shoulder surgery.

Rivers: Lou Williams expected to join Clippers for restart

LOS ANGELES » Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers says Lou Williams is expected to join the team for the NBA’s restart in Florida.

Williams has described himself as “5050” on whether he would finish out the pandemic-interrupted season because he didn’t want to distract from the ongoing push for social justice in the wake of George Floyd’s death while in police custody.

“Obviously, up until we get on the plane, anything can happen,” Rivers said.