Cavs to Waive J.R. Smith this Afternoon Barring Last-Minute Trade

J.R. Smith’s shirtless at-bat at the celebrity softball game during last week’s MLB All-Star Game festivities was likely his final local appearance as an official member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor reports that the Cavs are expected to waive the exiled guard today.
Joe Vardon, over at the Athletic, reported that Smith would be waived “barring a last-minute trade.”

Smith’s hefty expiring contract ($15.7 million) was expected to be a valuable trade asset because only a small fraction of it is guaranteed, meaning another team could trade for Smith, waive him, and only pay the small guaranteed portion of his salary, clearing room for a better available player.

But the Cavs have thus far been unable to find a trade partner. Smith was exiled from all team activities midway through last season. He is currently ranked 13 in three-pointers made in NBA history. He is fifth in that category in Cavs’ franchise history.  

Cleveland fans, who will fondly remember Smith’s contribution to the team’s 2016 championship run, and his extended shirtlessness thereafter, will always have t-shirts to commemorate him.  

This article appears in Jul 10-16, 2019.