Is J.R. Smith’s career in Cleveland worthy enough to be deemed a local legend?

Former Cleveland Cavaliers player J.R. Smith was at the Cleveland Browns game on Saturday, sparking a conversation.

Would you say J.R. Smith is a Cleveland Cavaliers legend? That’s the question some were left wondering after he appeared on Saturday to support the Cleveland Browns in their battle against the Baltimore Ravens. Smith was a fan favorite for a time in Cleveland, and beyond that spent parts of 16 seasons in the NBA and won two rings, one of which was with the Cavaliers in 2016.

Usually, you need four prongs to be a franchise legend; awards, stats, longevity, and a lingering fondness.

Smith spent about four full seasons (parts of five) in Cleveland, landing here near the end of the 2014-2015 season, and winning a title the following year. Primarily a three-point shooter for the Cavs, he shot 38% from behind the arc during his tenure with the Cavs.

In the Championship season, of players who played serious minutes, only Matthew Dellavedova shot better from three than Smith, and that team included Kevin Love, Mo Williams, Channing Frye, Joe Harris, and Kyrie Irving.

Smith was also one of the key contributors in the NBA finals that year, helping the Cavs capture their first title, and that’s largely why people see him as a Cavaliers “legend” if they do. Yet, is winning a title enough to solidify yourself as a Cleveland Cavaliers legend?

J.R. Smith can’t just be judged by the highs he brought to the Cleveland Cavaliers…

Smith, for as good as he was shooting in the championship year, which wasn’t some ungodly percentage by any means, was actually a bad offensive player for the Cavaliers. During his tenure, he posted a -0.7 OBPM, and three times had a figure as bad, or worse than a -1.8 OBPM.

He was given an outlandish contract for $57 million over four years. That deal was part of the reason the Cavs couldn’t make the moves they needed to as the seasons rolled on, and handcuffed the franchise to a degree.

Smith then assaulted assistant coach Damon Jones by chucking a bowl of soup at the assistant coach, leading to a one-game suspension early in 2018.

Then of course there was the 2018 NBA Finals, where instead of attempting a game-winning shot to close out Game 1, Smith dribbled out the clock as LeBron James shouted at him, leading to one of the funniest memes in NBA history, and Smith looking utterly confused as James gestured to the scoreboard.

James would leave Cleveland after that series, and the attitude issues that had surrounded Smith his whole career boiled over.

In 2019, when the Cavs were looking to rebuild, Smith would criticize the team and demand a trade. After no one came to trade for Smith, the Cavaliers deactivated him. The Cavs felt he was a negative influence around his younger teammates of his, and when you’re so toxic that a team would rather pay you to not play, that speaks volumes to your character. The Cavs waited until the summer to waive him.

Smith did play a hand in the quest to win an NBA title but does the good outweigh the bad? I would say no, it doesn’t. The Cavs didn’t need Smith, they needed a player like Smith. Kyle Korver, Williams, someone, anyone. It didn’t need to be Smith. He was merely an overpaid cog.

The team needed James and Kyrie Irving, and there is a difference between needing a specific player and needing a role filled. Smith filled a role, that’s all.

So those four prongs? Well, he won an NBA title, which is the ultimate in the award category. So that’s one.  You usually want two, if not three prongs at least filled before decreeing someone a great of your franchise. When it comes to stats, he was a net-negative offensive player for the majority of his run, so that’s a no. He only played in roughly four seasons, which in a 16-year career is a drop in the bucket. As for the lingering fondness? Some like him, but others remember the soup, bad contract, and attitude issues that held back the team.

So no, Smith isn’t a franchise legend.