Cavaliers scrimmage at Quicken Loans Arena

Cavaliers guard J. R. Smith plans to sign with LeBron James' agent, Rich Paul, Chris Haynes reports.

(Gus Chan, cleveland.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith is not only making plays on the court, he's doing so off of it as well.

Smith is in the process of parting ways with Creative Artists Agency and plans to sign with Rich Paul of Cleveland-based Klutch Sports, league sources informed cleveland.com.

A formalized pact is expected in the near future. Paul represents Smith's teammates LeBron James and Tristan Thompson as well.

Smith, 30, could become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He has a $5.3 million player option for the 2016-17 campaign. This season he's averaging 12.5 points and shooting a blistering 40 percent from 3-point range.

The 6-6 long-range marksmen has been the perfect complement to James and Kyrie Irving since being acquired at the midway point last year. His efficient catch-and-shoot skill set has created extra spacing on the floor for stars to maneuver and his outside touch has served as daggers in many games this season when teams have chosen to double members of The Big 3.

James and Smith have become inseparable at times. They had a friendship prior to teaming up, but it has since blossomed, translating into instant chemistry on the hardwood. Their alley-oop connections have routinely made the rounds on highlight packages across of the country.

Plus, he has grown into a locker-room leader.

"Just talking to him the other day after the game, just hearing his maturity. I think him taking that step he took this summer, I think that's helped him off the court," head coach Tyronn Lue said. "And then on the court, every night, he's giving us effort every single night. He's playing hard. He's competing and that's all we can ask of J.R. It's been good because I've known him since he was 18 years old, just to see the growth and how he's matured over the years."

Klutch Sports has been quite busy. On Wednesday the company officially signed LSU forward Ben Simmons, the presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, and in January landed Washington Wizards All-Star guard John Wall.

Paul was recently voted onto the Cleveland Orchestra board. One of his main points of emphasis will be to promote the importance of the orchestra in inner-city schools in light of music programs becoming obsolete.

In the last 24 months, Paul and chief negotiator Mark Termini have negotiated approximately $327 million worth of contracts.