JR Smith Downplays Jaylon Tyson's Donovan Mitchell Claim

Former Cavs star says 2016 title team didn't even discuss Tyson's comments about Cleveland being Mitchell's city.

Feb. 5, 2026 at 11:15pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Former Cleveland Cavaliers guard JR Smith brushed off recent comments made by current Cavs forward Jaylon Tyson, who said that Cleveland is now Donovan Mitchell's city. Smith, a member of the Cavs' 2016 championship team, said the remark didn't even come up in the group chat with his former teammates, noting that "certain stuff, you just let it go."

Why it matters

The 2016 Cavaliers, led by LeBron James, delivered Cleveland's first NBA title in over 50 years. As such, James' legacy with the franchise remains unmatched, and Tyson's comments about Mitchell taking over the city were seen by some as disrespectful to that history. However, Smith's nonchalant response suggests the former players are unfazed by the remarks.

The details

Tyson made waves recently when he declared that Cleveland is now Donovan Mitchell's city, implying that the city no longer belongs to LeBron James, the greatest player in Cavaliers history. Tyson made the comments in the aftermath of a Cavs win over James' Los Angeles Lakers. While Tyson later apologized for potentially offending anyone, JR Smith said the remark didn't even come up in the group chat with his former Cavaliers teammates from the 2016 championship team.

  • On February 5, 2026, Jaylon Tyson made the comments about Cleveland being Donovan Mitchell's city.

The players

JR Smith

A former guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers who was a member of the team's 2016 NBA championship squad alongside LeBron James.

Jaylon Tyson

A current forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers who recently made comments about Donovan Mitchell taking over the city of Cleveland.

Donovan Mitchell

The star guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers who was acquired in a trade prior to the 2022-23 season.

LeBron James

The greatest player in Cleveland Cavaliers history, who led the team to their first NBA championship in 2016.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Nah [it didn't make it to the group chat.] Nobody said nothing about it. Certain stuff, you just let it go. God bless his soul.”

— JR Smith, Former Cavaliers Guard (Run It Back on FanDuel TV)

The takeaway

The 2016 Cavaliers, led by LeBron James, delivered Cleveland's first NBA title in over 50 years, cementing James' legacy as the greatest player in franchise history. While current Cavs forward Jaylon Tyson recently declared that Cleveland is now Donovan Mitchell's city, JR Smith's dismissive response suggests the former title-winning players are unfazed by such comments, understanding that no one will ever surpass James' impact on the city and the team.