The downward spiral that is the Cavaliers’ 2018-19 season got worse Thursday when veteran guard J.R. Smith revealed he wants out of Cleveland.
Smith, 33, has played for the Cavs since they acquired him in a midseason trade with the New York Knicks during the 2014-15 campaign. He’s played a key role in Cleveland’s playoff success with his good outside shooting.
But with LeBron James gone, and head coach Ty Lue fired over the weekend, it appears Cleveland is going in a new direction, which means veterans like Smith could be headed elsewhere before the trade deadline. It seems Smith doesn’t want to wait until February, though.
He hasn’t played much for the Cavs this season, and he’s averaging just 12 minutes and 2.5 points over four games.
Smith is signed through the 2019-20 season, but the final year of his contract is only guaranteed for a little less than $4 million, per Spotrac. Acquiring him wouldn’t be a huge financial burden for another team.
