JR Smith of the Cleveland Cavaliers wants to be traded, the 33-year-old told a reporter on Tuesday. Now the Shooting Guard is threatened with a fine from the NBA.
When asked if he wanted to be traded by the Cavaliers, Smith replied, “Yes. They (the Cavs) know that. They don’t want me here, so they obviously know.”
However, NBA players are not allowed to publicly solicit trades. Eric Bledsoe, the former Point Guard of the Phoenix Suns, for example, twittered last year: “I don’t want to be here.” As a result, he was fined $10,000 because the NBA considered this a public request.
JR is obviously unhappy with his situation in Cleveland after being kicked out of the team’s rotation. Therefore, he is said to have obtained permission from the Front Office of the Cavs to leave the team until they find a trade for him.
This season Smith earned 14.7 million dollars, 2015 he came from the New York Knicks and the following year he won the championship together with LeBron James. Currently, JR plays an average of 2.5 points and 1 rebound in just 12 minutes. His current contract runs until next season.