Griffin: Cavs were 'willing to take on J.R. Smith' to get Shumpert

The Cleveland Cavaliers picked up two important pieces in a midseason trade with the New York Knicks two years ago, helping them kick-start consecutive Eastern Conference championships, culminating in an NBA title last season.

Turns out, they only really wanted one of them, but the Knicks apparently wouldn't part with him without getting a first-round pick in the bargain.

So the Cavs greased the wheels.

"We got Iman Shumpert without giving up a first-round pick, because we were willing to take on J.R. Smith," Cavs general manager David Griffin said Saturday at the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, according to Bleacher Report's Howard Beck.

Things have worked out pretty nicely for Smith and the Cavs. His mandate was clear from the start: to bomb, and bomb, and bomb away from deep. He's done so to the tune of eight 3-point attempts per game - of which he's hit an impressive 39.1 percent - in two-plus seasons in Cleveland.

He's averaged 12 points per game and shown a renewed commitment to defense. He shot 43 percent on threes in the playoffs last year, en route to the title.

The Cavs have been better with him on the floor in each of his seasons - including this one, in which he shot 33.7 percent from the field before breaking his thumb. One could even argue he's been more important to the Cavs' success than Shumpert. Not bad for a throw-in in a trade.