Though veteran guard J.R Smith is now a former member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, he still has fond memories of his days during the team’s glory years.
Recently, video of him expressing amusement at seeing the 2K version of himself offer the elaborate handshakes of two of his former teammates went viral.
JR lost his mind when he saw the old Cavs handshakes in 2K 😂
(via Swish Daily | YT) pic.twitter.com/W0yeO5nVb1
— Ball Don’t Lie (@Balldontlie) September 17, 2019
The handshakes of those two former teammates were of Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson, both of whom were on the Cavaliers’ iconic 2016 championship team. Irving played a key role in attaining that title by hitting the game-winning shot in Game 7 of the NBA Finals with less than a minute left.
That era of Cavaliers teams was known for players creating custom individual handshakes. The complexity involved for each handshake made them worth watching.
Unfortunately, soon after the 2016-17 campaign ended, Irving asked to be traded and was dealt to the Boston Celtics. This past summer, he left the Celtics as a free agent to sign with the Brooklyn Nets.
Thompson is still with the Cavs, though his status could change within the next year. He’s entering the final season of the five-year deal he signed in 2015, with no indication if the Cavaliers plan on re-signing him before he becomes a free agent next July. Due to that situation, he could be traded by the February deadline.
In the case of Smith, he was released by the Cavaliers two months ago after they were unable to trade him away. He had been in exile after criticizing the team last November for what he perceived to be its willingness to tank the season in order to obtain a top draft pick.
The 34-year-old Smith remains unsigned with training camps opening soon. Given the apparent lack of interest from other teams, his NBA career could be at an end. Despite that potential fate, it’s clear he still has his sense of humor.
