Cleveland Cavaliers: Should the Cavs trade or keep JR Smith?

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OAKLAND, CA – MAY 31: JR Smith #5 of the Cleveland Cavaliers rebounds the ball after a free throw against the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on May 31, 2018 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

What will the Cleveland Cavaliers do with JR Smith?

Let’s talk about Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard, J.R. Smith. The 2013 Sixth Man of the Year and 2016 NBA Champion is now perhaps best known for his catastrophic brain fart at the end of Game One in this year’s Finals.

At 32-years-old, he is set to receive $32 million over the next two years. It is unclear how well he fits into this precarious Cavs team.

If LeBron Stays…

If King James stays seated on his throne in Cleveland, the conversation is likely over—Smith stays too.

James was a major reason for Smith’s contract in 2016. Around that time, he spoke to Cleveland.com about Smith and said, “[he] worked his ass off every day. Became a two-way player, a model citizen in Cleveland and he’s a fan favorite… He’s a big piece of our team and they [the Cavs] need to get it done [sign him].”

Overall, he proved valuable to Cleveland. Used mostly as a spot-up shooter, he averaged 38.3% from deep on six attempts per game and vastly improving his defense over his three and a half seasons there.

If LeBron doesn’t stay…

Smith’s production has steadily declined since his signing while character issues have surfaced. If LeBron writes a different headline, one about Los Angeles/Philadelphia/San Antonio/etc., the Cavs should look to trade him.

After shooting 40% from three in 2016, Smith suffered a thumb injury early in Cleveland’s 2017 campaign. He was soon forced to undergo surgery. Since, his accuracy has dropped to 36.3%.

As the Cavaliers lost several playmakers, most notably Kyrie Irving, J.R’s limitations as a shot creator became apparent in the 2018 playoffs. Smith was occasionally left on an island with the ball in his hands and a ticking shot clock, only to dribble into the lane and toss up a turn-around floater that rarely found its way in.

Smith’s defense is also becoming less consistent. He’s locked in when he plays well offensively and he’s been doing so less frequently.

If there’s one benefit to Smith’s Finals blunder, it’s that it overshadowed an incident reported by ESPN in March involving a bowl of soup and an assistant coach’s face.

The guard was also the subject of a New Yorker article, which weighed his “unpredictable pleasures” with his “diversified portfolio of infractions.” (These range from his violations with league policies on marijuana to his untying Shawn Marion’s shoelaces at the free throw line in 2014.)