Cavs: Why not retire Number 5? 4 reasons to honor J.R. Smith

I think it’s pretty widely agreed upon throughout Cleveland that the numbers 2 and 23 should be hanging from the rafters in Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. As much as it hurts that LeBron left again for the second time, he’s the greatest Cleveland Cavaliers player of all time and therefore 23, and probably 6, should be retired.

It’s also pretty obvious how much Kyrie helped take home that 2016 NBA Finals trophy. Even though he’s a shell of himself these days in Brooklyn, 2 should be hanging from the rafters as well. I think Kevin Love’s “0” should also be retired, but that’s an argument for another time. Even TT gets into the discussion.

One player that is never mentioned when we talk about the great players on that 2016 team is J.R. Smith. He was an integral part of the team throughout the regular season and the playoffs. In my opinion, his number “5” should be memorialized forever in Cleveland. Here are four reasons why.

Cavs: J.R. Smith was a fan favorite and a great teammate

I bet if you ask any Cavaliers fan they will tell you some great stories about JR Smith, and talk about how much they loved him. From his shoot-first mentality to “shirtless J.R.” at the Championship Parade, he was always a bright spot on the team, even though he went stretches during the season where he couldn’t hit water if he jumped out of a boat. On top of all of that, he was a great teammate as well.

LeBron, Kyrie, Kevin, Tristan; really everyone loved being around JR. LeBron even recruited him to come and play for the Lakers in 2020. I think one of the most lasting memories Cleveland fans will have of J.R. is him having a great time at the Parade, just walking around completely shirtless for 24 hours, or possibly more.