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Ex-Cavaliers’ Guard JR Smith Sounds off on 2018 NBA Finals’ Incident

Getty Cavs JR Smith and LeBron James

Former Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith is best known for taking his shirt off during Championship parade back in 2016. It would later catch the attention of former President of the United States, Barack Obama, to tell former Cavs head coach Ty Lue to tell Smith to “put on a shirt.” Smith is also known for grabbing a rebound and dribbled out the clock instead of trying to shoot a potential game-winning shot in game one of the NBA Finals in 2018.

Earlier Tuesday afternoon, JR Smith was the latest guest on Cold As Balls from Kevin Hart‘s Laugh Out Loud. During the episode, Hart asked Smith to share his thoughts on being called out by President Obama.

“It was an honor, man, because it was like the acknowledgment from the president,” said Smith.


The duo also talked about the infamous moment in game one of  2018 Finals, which featured a visibly upset LeBron James at Smith for costing the Cavaliers the game. The Cavaliers would end up getting swept by the Golden State Warriors, and James took his talent to Los Angeles. As for Smith, he hasn’t played in the league since November 19, 2018, against the Detroit Pistons.

“It messed me up because the play before we missed the free throw, and I didn’t realize that. I’m thinking alright because we talked to the coaches, and S***. said” “I think we got that one, and we got that one we about to get back on defense, and we get the rebound I’m thinking okay we good game over. [I hear] man what the F*** you doing and you know the worse part about it. When you are right and just know you are right and you dead a** wrong.”

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JR Smith Schedule to Workout for the Los Angeles Lakers?

On January 25, 2020, Heavy’s Brandon’ Scoop B’ Robinson reported that according to a Los Angeles Lakers source, Smith was scheduled to work out with the Lakers next week.

“There are no guarantees,” said the source.

“They want to see what he can do, and if it is a fit, we’ll take it from there.”

With the death of Kobe Bryant on January 26, 2020, after a Helicopter accident, Smith’s workout with the Los Angeles Lakers was postponed Robinson shared with me earlier this evening via text message.

Smith played 11 games last season for the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the team would grant him an excused absence after he voiced his frustration with the team. During his time away from the Cavaliers, they attempted to find a trade partner to take Smith but were unsuccessful in doing so.

Instead, Cleveland made the financial decision to move on from Smith by buyout his contract $4.4 million-plus from the team, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Over the next three seasons. 

Smith was the 18th pick in the 2004 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Hornets and has averaged 12.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game in 971 games in the NBA.

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Former Cavaliers Jr Smith was a guest on Cold As Balls from Kevin Hart's Laugh Out Loud. The duo discussed Smith costing the Cavaliers game one of the 2018 NBA Finals.