LeBron James might be gone from the Cleveland Cavaliers, but J.R. Smith still has his eyes on winning an NBA championship this year. After practice on Wednesday, he said just becauseĀ people have come and gone this offseason, the goal hasnāt changed.
āThe regular season is to get ready for the playoffs,ā J.R. Smith said via 247 Sports. āJust because people come in and out donāt mean the goal has changed. The goal stays the same ā try to win a championship, thatās every year, no matter who is in this jersey and who is not.ā
The Cavs did lose James this offseason but they still do have some nice pieces on this team.
Kevin Love signed a long-termĀ extension this offseason and Rodney Hood has proven to be a good player, even if he struggled during the playoffs. They also draftedĀ Collin Sexton, who has already receivedĀ rave reviews and some have compared him to a former Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving.
Smith is still expected to play a role on this team but there is a question about what kind of role that will be. He is coming off a bad season last year, including the crucial mistake during the NBA Finals where he didnāt know what the score was and cost the Cavs a chance at a victory.
Last year he averagedĀ 8.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists while shooting only 37.5 percent from the field. If the Cavs want any chance to make the playoffs and even have a chance at an NBA title, Smith is going to have to be one of the guys that steps up.
