By Brandon Apter, Sports Talk Philly Editor 
The Philadelphia 76ers made some low-risk free agent signings this offseason, bring veterans Jerryd Bayless and Gerald Henderson along with Sergio Rodriguez from Spain into the fold. According to Marc Stein of ESPN, the Sixers tried their best to sign J.R. Smith to a deal before he ended up resigning with Cleveland.
ESPN sources say a hard push from Sixers GM Bryan Colangelo for J.R. Smith helped sparked Friday's talks with the Cavs to get a deal done
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) October 15, 2016
Smith has been working with the Cavaliers on a new deal for the past few months and has not been with the team at all for training camp or preseason. On Friday night, Smith and the Cavs reached a new deal, a four-year pact worth $57 million and the 31-year-old guard will likely be ready when they open their title defending season on October 25.
Last year in Cleveland during the regular season, Smith averaged 12.4 points per game, shooting 41.5 percent from the field and 40 percent from beyond the arc. He averaged 11.5 points, shooting 43.6 percent in the playoffs.
