Reason No. 1: A loaded backcourt
The Cleveland Cavaliers have, whether on purpose or not, a loaded, competition-filled backcourt. With the recent signing of David Nwaba along with drafting point guard Collin Sexton, several players will be placed ahead of Smith this upcoming season.
Let’s take a look at the Cavs depth chart as far as guards go:
- Point Guard: Collin Sexton, George Hill, Jordan Clarkson
- Shooting Guard: Rodney Hood, Kyle Korver, Jordan Clarkson
If Smith can figure out a way to sneak his way into a permanent second unit role, then maybe the Cavs could use him consistently. However, according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, the Cavs would be open to trading Smith.
. @clevelanddotcom's @joevardon on #Cavs' J.R. Smith (5/6) - "...But he’s coming off the 2 worst years of his career, so he’s got a lot to prove. The Cavs would, of course, be open to trading him if they could. They have not been able to so far, so it’ll be interesting to see...
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) August 5, 2018
Smith’s three-and-a-half years in Cleveland have been an absolute rollercoaster. He’s had huge game-changing performances during the NBA Finals yet also had some of the worst slumps of his career in Cleveland.
He’s past his prime, and with several up-and-coming role players, it’ll be difficult for coach Lue to justify playing Smith over a player like Clarkson. Even Korver puts out more of a contribution in his minutes than Smith, making it harder for Smith to get minutes.
The Cavs have two loaded guards spots, and Smith might just not make the cut.