JR Smith Receives Five-Game Suspension for NBA Substance Abuse Violation

JR Smith has been suspended five games without pay for the 2013-2014 season after violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

League sources have disclosed Smith was cited for marijuana, which warrants a five-game minimum.

Smith had a breakout season last year for the Knicks, notching Sixth Man of the Year honors after averaging 18.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. His performance earned him a three-year, 17 million dollar deal with New York earlier this summer.

Smith is expected to miss the first month of the season after undergoing knee surgery in July. The suspension will begin with his first eligible game of the season.

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JR…JR…JR. I guess this should be expected with him having way too much idle time on his hands. I’m not going to flip out about weed, if that’s indeed what he tested positive for, but actually getting caught? JR damn well isn’t the only one in the league that has a recreational puff every now and then, but as a league vet he should know all the tricks to ensure he doesn’t embarrass the team. Leave that fuckery to guys like Michael Beasley.

With that said, I have another concern with whether this is the only drug JR is indulging in. There were rumors in the last few games of the Celtics series, and second round with the Pacers, that it wasn’t just Rihanna’s vagina that had JR playing badly. JR was linked with coke-filled wild parties and that would explain his horrid 33% shooting in the post-season.

What’s done is done. Knicks fans know by now that JR is a knucklehead. But he’s OUR knucklehead, and the man will rightly get a standing ovation at his first home game back.