Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 stars to shine in the 2018-19 season

5. J.R. Smith

I know that most of you are probably laughing hysterically at this selection, but the truth is that J.R. Smith can still ball…when he actually chooses to.

During his New York Knicks days, Smith proved to be a valuable second option and a dependable scorer, earning Sixth Man of the Year honors in a season where he averaged 18.1 points per game without starting a single game.

So how did this relentless catch-and-shoot player that the Cavs actually traded for disappear?

During the first two seasons of him being a Cavalier, Smith was actually a solid starter for the team, scoring more than 12 points per game, as the team’s clear fourth option behind LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.

After that came a sequence of disappointing seasons, which resulted in him being on the trade block for most of the time.

Smith, though, is by no means washed up. His game doesn’t rely heavily on his athleticism, making it easy for him to contribute even at the age of 32. Will we see Smith have one of his NY seasons at least once while in a Cleveland Cavaliers jersey? Maybe a few extra touches will help him silence the critics.