JR suspended 7 games

[JRMelo15]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4429517

NEW YORK -- The NBA has suspended Denver's J.R. Smith and Phoenix's Jason Richardson after both were recently convicted of driving offenses.

Smith will sit out the Nuggets' first seven games for pleading guilty to reckless driving in New Jersey. Richardson will miss two games after he pleaded guilty to drunken driving in Arizona.

Both suspensions imposed Friday are without pay. The NBA said Smith's was also for his poor driving record. Smith was involved in an accident in 2007 that caused the death of a passenger in his car.

[J Smitty]

I prefer Afflalo starting anyway, and this should just cement that. He'll get the starts for at least the first seven games, and as long as we don't suck, it'll probably continue.

Lawson also might get some minutes now to prove what he can do.

[GuyJones]

Isn't it punishment enough that his friend died...then jail time

7 games isn't too bad though. Vehicular manslaughter is definitly no joke.

[el loco]

I prefer Afflalo starting anyway, and this should just cement that. He'll get the starts for at least the first seven games, and as long as we don't suck, it'll probably continue.

CARTER might get more minutes now.

[MHZ]

Hard to really argue. It is a little odd where the NBA's priorities are though. 15 games for slapping Mardy Collings. 7 for this.

[pickIBL]

none of it makes sense. play a little patty cake with mardy collins and they rake you over the coles. Something that results in death... 7 games. Imagine if he hit a dog with his car. Yea I'm sure I'll get a ton of crap for that... but it seems we value animals more than people... and punish a girl fight more than the death of someone. And that's not right.

[J Smitty]

The difference here is that nobody died during a basketball game. It should be regulated differently, because it is different. And IMO, off field transgressions should have nothing to do with the league office. That's what the judicial system is for. J.R. was tried for his crime, and was punished for his crime.....by who it should have been, the courts. Unless it's something that happens during a NBA event, the league should have no ability to punish a guy for it.

When we were kids, we got in fights all the time(to use that as an example). If you fight at school, you're going to be suspended from school. You fight at the bus stop, you get suspended from school. That's because it took place at a school sanctioned place. But if you get in a fight in your backyard or house or wherever else, why the hell should the school be able to suspend you for that? They shouldn't, and they cant.

There is also the argument that if you got convicted for say a DUI, there is a good possibility that you could be fired from your work for that. Which is a valid point. But then again, the NBA is not J.R.'s employer, the Nuggets are. If the team thought it were necessary to discipline him for this(as they did with Carmelo last year), that's their right. The NBA and Stern, on the otherhand, leave your Nazi tendencies for your own league.

[eathy]

Badly need a swigman/scorer now.

[el loco]

^^^^ It happens in other venues as well Smitty, I remember years and years ago when I was a young dumb private in the military. I got a DUI, and was prosecuted by the civilian courts and then I was turned over to the military and wound up getting prosecuted for the same crime all over again. Granted the punishments were different, but I was still punished for the same crime twice.

I don't get why Stern suspended JRich for 2 games for his DUI though. The Nuggets suspended Melo for 2 games when he got his, but the league didn't suspend him for it, does the league step in when the team doesn't give out adequate punishments in Stern's eyes or what?

[pickIBL]

But if you get in a fight in your backyard or house or wherever else, why the hell should the school be able to suspend you for that? They shouldn't, and they cant.

You didn't sign a multi million dollar contract to play basketball for your school. This is business. Ask Glenn Beck what its like to piss off sponsors.

[DaFan334]

I thought Smith served a 2 game suspension for this last year??? I mean I understand its bad that he was now found guilty and served time for it, but 2 separate suspensions for the same event. That seems like a bit over kill.

[The Rebel]

I don't remember the NBA giving JR a suspension, I actually think that was the Nuggets giving that out.

Outside of that it seems a long time to wait to hand out the suspension. 2 years? I understand that they had to wait for the courts, but it was not like there was ever any question on JR being guilty. As for part of the suspension being for other traffic offenses, they should have just left that out, as there are plenty of players with records just as bad. Hell didn't Nate robinson just get in trouble for driving with a suspended license?

[MHZ]

The difference here is that nobody died during a basketball game. It should be regulated differently, because it is different. And IMO, off field transgressions should have nothing to do with the league office. That's what the judicial system is for. J.R. was tried for his crime, and was punished for his crime.....by who it should have been, the courts. Unless it's something that happens during a NBA event, the league should have no ability to punish a guy for it.

When we were kids, we got in fights all the time(to use that as an example). If you fight at school, you're going to be suspended from school. You fight at the bus stop, you get suspended from school. That's because it took place at a school sanctioned place. But if you get in a fight in your backyard or house or wherever else, why the hell should the school be able to suspend you for that? They shouldn't, and they cant.

There is also the argument that if you got convicted for say a DUI, there is a good possibility that you could be fired from your work for that. Which is a valid point. But then again, the NBA is not J.R.'s employer, the Nuggets are. If the team thought it were necessary to discipline him for this(as they did with Carmelo last year), that's their right. The NBA and Stern, on the otherhand, leave your Nazi tendencies for your own league.

I understand what your general point is. One thing is on the court, the other isn't. The problem is, the league's image is Stern's concern in either scenario. He doesn't care about JR Smith. He only cares about the extent of the crime as relates to how it reflects on his league. He wanted everybody to dress a certain way for a reason, and he punishes players for a reason. It's all about image. Same thing with on the court altercations. He's not punishing them to try to teach them a lesson, as happens in school. He's doing it because it's getting played over and over on SportsCenter, and radio talk show hacks everywhere are talking about the thugs in the NBA. By punishing them in either sense, he's holding the NBA to a standard of behavior that he thinks is acceptable to the average suburban white dude who blushes when he sees a throwback jersey and baggy jeans.

I'm not for suspensions by any means. I think what Roger Goodell is doing in the NFL is a joke, and David Stern is desperate to be on the same level I guess.

[pickaxe]

*ing hell. Really?

Look, if you're blessed with J.R.'s ability on the court and are blessed with that money then go get blessed with a professional damn chauffer.

J.R. you were only meant to drive on the court. It compromises your career. Stop it. Dumbass.


-- In announcing the suspension, the NBA said in a release Smith was penalized because of his reckless driving in the accident "and for prior and subsequent motor vehicle offenses." --

- and I'm pissed off at the subsequent offenses, not to make any more of a deal over the accident in 2007, which he paid his debt to society for

[azuresou1]

He didn't pay his debt to society, he got what, 24 days? My friend was in a similar accident, and he's serving 3-8 years right now.

[JRMelo15]

He didn't pay his debt to society, he got what, 24 days? My friend was in a similar accident, and he's serving 3-8 years right now.

What are you implying? That since he's a well known NBA player he gets off with 24 days? I'm pretty sure judicial system is equal to everyone and your friend did something more serious than JR did to get 3-8 years (how the hell does it vary that much anyways, 3-8?)

[The Rebel]

He didn't pay his debt to society, he got what, 24 days? My friend was in a similar accident, and he's serving 3-8 years right now.

What are you implying? That since he's a well known NBA player he gets off with 24 days? I'm pretty sure judicial system is equal to everyone and your friend did something more serious than JR did to get 3-8 years (how the hell does it vary that much anyways, 3-8?)

JR got such a light sentence because he reached a plea bargain, much of which was pushed for by the victims family.

As for AZUresou1, your friend either had a horrific record with several accidents, other circumstances such as drug or alcohol, or just a **** ass lawyer. It also depends on where you live as well due to the court systems and laws in your area. However JR's sentence was not out of line with other similar incidences I know about.

A friend of mine ran a red light and killed his girlfriend. He spent 30 days in jail, and hada suspended license for 5 years.

another guy I know fell asleep on the interstate, wreaked and killed his passenger/best friend on their way home from college. He received 4 weekenders in jail (8 days), 200 hours of community service, and a red license for 2 years.

A couple of girls I knew in my younger days were killed by a drunk driver who ran a stop sign, and killing both girls instantly. he was sentenced to 3-5 years and a suspended sentence.

In other words, if anything JR got a little more then a couple of guys I know, but much less then a drunk driver who killed someone. Especially considering the family of the man killed did not want JR prosecuted.