J.R. Smith of the Cleveland Cavaliers was spotted in Madison Square Garden during the game between the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat. Below is a clip of the Cavs guard chilling inside the Mecca of basketball.
Though still a member of the wine and gold squad, J.R. Smith and the Cavs have mutually agreed for the 33-year-old to leave the team as both sides try to arrange a trade. Smith just played 11 games for the Cavs this season and saw his minutes dwindle to just 20.2 per night — a demotion from his usual 28-30 minutes per game.
This led Smith to conclude that the Cavs weren’t out to win this season — a direction he’s uncomfortable with at this point in his career. Early on, it became clear to everyone — especially Smith — that the Cavs were going to tank this season.
“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, per Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. “I think the goal is to develop and lose to get lottery picks. I think that was always the plan.”
Analysts believe that the Cavs will be stuck with J.R. Smith until the Feb. 7 trade deadline. Despite his age, they still believe that Smith can bring some value to a team given his championship experience.