J.R. Smith is now a contributing member of a team that has a chance to win the NBA championship.

Context is a benefit of his newfound success, which has put the 29-year-old guard in an unfamiliar position. Considered a salary dump who was in the midst of arguably the worst season of his career, Smith was believed to be a major part of the reason for the New York Knicks' struggles, yet is now thriving with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He's managed to change the narrative that surrounded him during much of his tenure with New York. Smith is no longer a factor in the Knicks' failures. He's become a victim of their losing culture.

Winner of the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award in 2013, it wasn't a secret to anyone that Smith was capable of playing at a high level. That's the incredibly frustrating thing about dealing with Smith and players like him. You know he can play, you just don't know how to consistently get the effort and production from him.

The Cavaliers have managed to get what they've needed and minimize the dips in his performance. Most people credit LeBron James for the success Smith has enjoyed. No doubt James has played a role, but Smith's awakening is more of an indictment of the losing culture and lack of leadership with the Knicks than an invitation for players who have had a few issues to sign up to play with James.

The Cavaliers are attempting to win a championship; it's the reason they made the midseason trade that brought Smith to town to begin with. There are expectations, standards and the guys hold each other accountable in Cleveland. That isn't something that could be said about the Knicks this season.

Smith, more than anything, is rejuvenated because his talents and production mean something again. It seems new, it feels fresh, but this version of Smith has been around for a while, the losing with the Knicks just made it harder to see.

What's clear to Smith now is that he has an opportunity to be a champion. The 11-year pro is four wins away from a title and the best form of vindication. Better than most, Smith understands that these opportunities aren't promised and he needs to make sure he does all he can to take advantage of the shot.

"I think a lot of guys always think they're going to get to this point," Smith said. "You look down the line, so many people had long, tenured careers and never been to the Finals or been to the playoffs (only) a few times. So we have to take advantage."

Smith has taken advantage of his time with Cleveland and playing alongside the league's best player in James. A big reason things have worked is Smith's willingness to learn and accept his role as a defender and shooter. The game is easier and clearly more enjoyable for Smith.

"It's unbelievable," Smith said. "All I've got to do is shoot spot-up shots and play defense. So it makes it so much easier. It's kind of unreal."

Championship or not, Smith has already claimed an important victory. Players in losing situations are often stripped of the benefit of the doubt and painted as losers. headaches or, in some cases, locker room cancers. Nobody cares about the point of view of a guy that's believed to be part of a problem. Those labels are hard to shake in the world of sports. Smith hasn't fully washed away the issues from his tenure with the Knicks, but he's reminded everyone that he can play while creating a conversation about the impact a negative environment can have on a talented player. We've been shown first hand why you shouldn't give up on a player before fully examining the conditions they're asked to perform in.