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By Matt Audilet
Contributing Sports Writer
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It's been 10 years since the Cleveland Cavaliers secured their first and only NBA title in franchise history.
Led by all-time great NBA superstar LeBron James, the Cavaliers became the first team in league history to erase a 3-1 series lead in the NBA Finals — winning three consecutive games to defeat the historic Golden State Warriors team featuring Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
J.R. Smith was a key role player for the Cavaliers on their run to the title, averaging 11.5 points per game in the 2016 playoffs.
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During a recent appearance on "The Pivot" podcast, Smith claimed the Cavaliers have yet to invite him back since his NBA retirement in 2020.
"You should take care of your players," Smith said. “I won a whole chip in Cleveland, they haven’t invited me back once, and it’s been 10 years."
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The Cavaliers promptly responded to this callout from Smith, posting a video of the Cleveland crowd honoring him while he sat court-side at a game in 2022.
"@TheRealJRSmith, Cleveland has always loved you, and you'll ALWAYS have a home here.#LetEmKnow," the team wrote on social media.
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The 2026 Cavaliers played their way to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they suffered a series sweep at the hands of the eventual-champion New York Knicks.
Smith, who played in New York for four seasons, said the Knicks treat their former players better than any team in the league.
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