Cleveland Cavaliers: Why it is time to consider trading J.R. Smith

Following a 99-92 loss, the Cleveland Cavaliers need to make some changes.

It is time to consider trading one of the key guys in the 2016 championship run. It is time to trade J.R. Smith, the Cleveland Cavaliers starting shooting guard.

Smith has not looked the same since his knee injury in December 2016. His shooting confidence is not there anymore. He still shoots the ball from deep, but he doesn’t have any confidence shooting it.

There is a difference between just shooting the ball, and shooting the ball with confidence every single night. 

This month, he is averaging 7.2 points (40.3% from the field, 45.2% from three), 3.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game. It is a decrease from the 9.4 points per game he averaged last month.

Point is, he has not played well at all this season, on both ends of the floor. I am not sure if you can play him against Golden State anymore. He did not play well last night at Golden State, he was 0/5 from the field and 0/4 from three-point range and was a -5 last night as well.

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I love Smith, he is one of my favorite players and helped the Cavs win their first championship in 2016 by shooting lights out to start the third quarter in game 7 of the NBA Finals. But, he has just not looked the same since.

It just seems like he is on the wrong side of 30 now. I know people won’t like me writing this piece, but it just seems like it is time to start thinking of moving from Smith. I desperately want Smith to turn his season around because it would desperately help out the Cavs.

However, with his injury issues the past year, specifically his knee, I don’t know if he can turn it around. It just looks like he has been lost on both ends of the floor, especially on the defensive end.

When Smith was having troubles last month, Lue had confidence in Smith and I bet he still has confidence in him.

This could all that Smith needs to get his confidence back up once again.

What about the defensive end, though? His best defensive season was, once again during the 2015-2016 season and also during their championship run.

As, exhibit A, he just totally got lost on this defensive play that allowed a wide-open three-pointer by Klay Thompson.

I think one of the reasons he has been in a slump this season was being moved to the bench at the beginning of the season and he is just still trying to find his way and get his rhythm.

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I am rooting for Smith to turn it around this season. But, for the past month and specifically last night, he just doesn’t seem to “have it” anymore. I hope his confidence on both ends of the floor returns soon because I miss this J.R. Smith.