JR Smith recalls tears when Knicks dealt him to Cavaliers
jr-smith-recalls-tears-after-knicks-trade-to-cavaliers
Former NBA guard JR Smith says his initial reaction to the New York Knicks’ decision to trade him to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 5, 2015 was anything but positive.
“I cried,” Smith told former teammate Carmelo Anthony while reflecting on the move. Smith said he was in Memphis when then-Knicks executive Steve Mills informed him that both he and Iman Shumpert had been sent to Cleveland.
Smith had grown comfortable in New York and had forged a close friendship with Anthony, making the news difficult to accept. “I already had my feelings about the situation,” he said.
The trade—completed midway through the 2014-15 season—quickly paid dividends for Cleveland. After joining LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, Smith helped the Cavaliers reach the 2015 NBA Finals. One year later, the team erased a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Golden State Warriors and capture the franchise’s first championship.
“I had a great time in Cleveland,” Smith told Michael Scotto on the HoopsHype Podcast. “Winning that championship will forever be in the history of basketball, but especially in the history of Cleveland.”
Source: Hoops Wire
