Veteran shooting guard J.R. Smith thinks that the Cleveland Cavaliers entered the 2018-19 season with the intention to tank, despite claims from the coaching staff and front office that they were going to stay competitive. 

With that being the case, Joe Vardon of The Athletic is reporting that Smith is no longer actively with the team and is working with the front office in hopes of facilitating a trade to another team.

"I've been on teams where we've won 18 games and the development stage was to try to win at any cost," Smith said, via The Athletic. "It wasn't just for my development or the next person. The goal was always to win... I don't think the goal [this season] is to win. The goal isn't to go out there and try to get as many wins as you can. I think the goal is to develop and lose to get lottery picks. I think that was always the plan."

Smith would like to be traded away from Cleveland, as this move shows, but he isn't interested in negotiating a buyout in order to expedite his own exit. 

"I don't want my legacy to be remembered like that in Cleveland," Smith said. "I don't think that's fair to the people I see every single day walking around the arena. I don't think that's fair to the trainers or equipment guys. ... I just look at it differently than being traded. I don't like the statement of getting bought out."

Veteran point guard George Hill echoed what Smith said about the Cavs' true direction heading into the season. 

"I think it recalibrated before Game 1 was even played," Hill said. "In the summer, it felt like politically you have to say we can still do these things because you want everyone to buy in to being here. Once everybody is here, I don't know. The directions change."

It's not especially surprising that the Cavs are looking to rebuild after losing LeBron James in free agency. However, at that point, the organization needs to be transparent with their players about their true intentions. A lot of the current unrest within the locker room could have been avoided that way.