Unsigned J.R. upsetting to LeBron

The Cavaliers opened training camp earlier this week, but they did so without J.R. Smith, who remains an unrestricted free agent while still negotiating a new contract to return to the defending champs. And LeBron James is tired of waiting for the two sides to get a deal done.

Speaking to reporters Friday, James made it clear he wants Smith back in the fold — as soon as possible.

“Negotiations are always two sides, but J.R. did his part,” James told Cleveland.com. “He showed up every day. Worked his a-- off every day. Became a two-way player, a model citizen in Cleveland and he’s a fan favorite. Obviously we all know that. … He’s a big piece of our team and they just need to get it done.

“I hate coming into another season — two years in a row — with one of my big guns not here. So for a leader of a team and for me personally, I just hate to deal with this s--- again. It’s just too big of a piece to our team to have to deal with in another training camp. Hopefully things get resolved fast, because you know how big and important he is to our team.”

Last year at this time, Tristan Thompson missed all of training camp due to a holdout. He eventually signed a deal worth $82 million over five years just before the beginning of the regular season.

The average salary this year for a starting shooting guard is $11.2 million.

The 31-year-old started 77 regular season games last season, while averaging 12.4 points in 30.7 minutes per contest. Smith also knocked down 40 percent of his looks from three-point range. His 367 three-pointers over the past two seasons are second to the two-time MVP Stephen Curry.

Smith and James share an agent in Rich Paul. The Cavaliers reportedly offered Smith a deal worth $10 million to $11 million a year, which general manager David Griffin called “an incredibly competitive and aggressive offer,” but Smith turned it down. With the Cavaliers facing a tricky financial situation — they already are $23 million over the salary cap — Griffin and his team will have to work around Smith’s demands.