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Reading: J.R. Smith Claims He, Jamal Crawford, Isaiah Thomas, Nick Young, And Joe Johnson Have Been Blackballed From The NBA
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Home > NBA News & Analysis > J.R. Smith Claims He, Jamal Crawford, Isaiah Thomas, Nick Young, And Joe Johnson Have Been Blackballed From The NBA

J.R. Smith Claims He, Jamal Crawford, Isaiah Thomas, Nick Young, And Joe Johnson Have Been Blackballed From The NBA

Ishaan Bhattacharya
Sep 3, 2022
4 Min Read
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The NBA has only a limited number of roster spots to offer the best players in the entire world. While most get obsessed with the names that make up the top half of the league, there are hundreds of players fighting to keep their roster spots every season because new talent keeps coming in and replacing them.

There are many NBA veterans that were forced into retirement, not by choice but because the league started looking past them. We have seen that in the past, and we see it now with many iconic 2000s basketball players still trying to stay on a team and failing.

J.R. Smith, who was last on the 2020 Lakers and won a championship, has said that he believes players like him, Jamal Crawford, Isaiah Thomas, Nick Young, and Joe Johnson don’t get contracts because they’ve been blackballed from the league. 

J.R. Smith says he, Jamal Crawford, Isaiah Thomas, Nick Young and Joe Johnson have been blackballed from the NBA.

Link below for full #ComplexVolume story and interview with J.R. Smith.

🔗: https://t.co/HJEfAcMDgC pic.twitter.com/sR7XsSbztz

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) September 2, 2022

Simpson: “Do you feel like you were, I guess blackballed in a way, for lack of a better phrase when it comes to your career?”

Smith: “Yeah, a hundred percent. I mean, anybody can sit here and tell you that that’s a fact. You got those 30 teams, or the top three people on each 30 team and exclude them, give me the 4 through 15th man, just the 4 through 15. Name one of them that’s better than me. I’m sitting there like, bro, I’ve worked out with these dudes. I’ve watched their GM come up to me and ask me like yo why you not playing? You know why I’m not playing. I feel like it’s a whole genre that that happened too. Joe Johnson, who obviously still got game, still plays. Jamal Crawford, still got game, still can play. Nick Young, still got game, still can play. Isaiah Thomas, still got game, still can play.” (h/t Sports Illustrated) 


Are J.R. Smith’s Comments Fair?

Based on what we saw these players do the last time they were in the league, it is a stretch to say that they have intentionally been black-balled. Isaiah Thomas got multiple opportunities on different teams last season and couldn’t impress anybody enough to hold onto a contract. Joe Johnson was also on a team last year and is no longer in that position.

While there are definitely teams that could use scorers like this group, we are currently seeing Carmelo Anthony struggle to get a contract, even though there is interest in him. It would be a stretch to say any of these players would receive one before Melo.

Age is a brutal decider in the careers of pro athletes as they can be considered too old to play in their mid-30s. That’s what happened with most of these players. They can’t guard young players at a high level anymore, and that was proven by all of their last stints in the league. Development of talent is key to keeping the game progressing, so we shouldn’t get lost in the past and give these players, who already made millions in the league, an opportunity that could change the life of a talented 20-year-old who just got drafted. 

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ByIshaan Bhattacharya
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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, Yahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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