When J.R. Smith opted to make public his spat with the Cavaliers, he took pains to note that he no longer believed the franchise to be interested in winning. He struggled with management’s decision to cut his playing time in favor of a youth movement, and he sought — and received — permission to stay away from the team while options were being explored in regard to his employment. The target was to find new digs for him and, in the process, formalize the divorce.
At first glance, pundits could reasonably consider Smith’s arguments. After all, he was a starter for the Cavaliers through their Finals, and championship, stints, and both Tyron Lue and coaching successor Larry Drew seemed to want to keep him on the court despite overtures from general manager Koby Altman for minutes to be apportioned to newer players. On the other hand, there can be no propping up his swooning stats; those from the outside looking in could likewise argue with merit that he was a bane and not a boon to the cause of the wine and gold. Who can forget, for instance, his monuments faux pas at the end of regulation in Game One of the 2018 title series?
Parenthetically, there is likewise the fact that the Cavaliers lavished a lucrative multi-year contract extension on All-Star Kevin Love, hardly the move a tanking franchise would make. If anything, they were bent on proving to all and sundry that they could still be a force to reckon with even with the departure of acknowledged lifeblood LeBron James. They likely tempered their expectations when he went down due to injury and figures to be out until well into the new year, as well as in light of the seemingly slow progress or heralded rookie Collin Sexton. Still, their aim was to do their best for the present and not withhold it for the future.
Under the circumstances, the Cavaliers are right. The time Smith contends he deserves is better spent on others. And if there’s any question on how they approach the contests on their schedule, fans need only point to their spirited stand in the last week. They almost prevailed during the Lakers’ visit to the Q with James in tow and then actually did against the vaunted Sixers and Rockets. If their intent is to put themselves in prime position to claim the top spot in next year’s draft lottery, they’re doing a very bad job of it.
Which is not to say the Cavaliers will wind up in the playoffs sometime soon. Even with Love on active duty, they simply lack the firepower to avoid crowding the Hawks at the bottom of the East. That said, there is nothing to suggest they’re just going through the motions. As Drew so emphatically underscored, it’s not how they roll. They may not have the talent, but they have the pride. And it’s the right kind, not the misplaced one Smith is clinging to contrary to reality.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.
