J.R. Smith Wants Trade From Cavs, Resisting Buyout

Nearly three weeks after he first confirmed that he’d welcome a trade out of Cleveland, J.R. Smith continues to seek a deal, having asked twice to be moved, according to Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. The veteran guard made it clear during a conversation with Lloyd that he doesn’t believe the Cavaliers are interested in winning, and doesn’t want to play for a team that’s not trying to win.

“I don’t think the goal is to win. The goal isn’t to go out there and try to get as many wins as you can,” Smith said. “I think the goal is to develop and lose to get lottery picks. I think that was always the plan.”

Asked if he’s interested in being part of the rebuilding process in Cleveland, Smith replied, “Not if the goal isn’t to compete, to win.”

The Cavaliers insisted throughout the offseason, even as LeBron James headed to Los Angeles, that they still believed they could compete in the Eastern Conference — if not for a spot in the Finals, then at least for a playoff berth. Shortly after the regular season got underway, the Cavs seemingly shifted gears and started to focus on developing young players like Collin Sexton and Cedi Osman. However, in the view of vets like Smith and George Hill, that was probably the plan even before the season started.

“I think it re-calibrated before Game 1 was even played,” Hill said of the club’s outlook for 2018/19. “In the summer, it felt like politically you have to say we can still do these things because you want everyone to buy in to being here. Once everybody is here, I don’t know. The directions change.”

While the Cavs would probably have just as much interest as Smith in a deal that sends him elsewhere, his contract – which includes a $14.72MM cap hit for this season – isn’t favorable, especially given his slow start (his 6.7 PPG and .342 FG% would be career lows). Lloyd suggests that if Smith were willing to surrender some of the guaranteed money left on his deal, a buyout would be an option, but the 33-year-old has refused to go down that road so far.

“I don’t want my legacy to be remembered like that in Cleveland,” Smith said of a buyout. “I don’t think that’s fair to the people I see every single day walking around the arena. I don’t think that’s fair to the trainers or equipment guys. … I just look at it differently than being traded. I don’t like the statement of getting bought out.”

The Cavs figure to continue exploring the trade market for Smith in the coming weeks and months. If they can’t find a suitable deal by the February 7 deadline, perhaps Smith would become more inclined to negotiate a buyout in an effort to join a contender.

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