J.R. Smith: Jail bound...

I think this will be great for J.R. to help come ready in October.

All he has to do in there is think, work out, and shoot hoops in the yard.

There will be minimal food, so no weight gain.

There will be no going out, no booze, no women, no drugs.

This will toughen him up, and hopefully give him a new perspective on life.

ESPN is saying Wallace is going to one of the top contenders and will put them in the finals. Too bad the Nuggets FO doesn't seem to want to be on that short list... Maybe they have Okur up their sleeve.

Gasus, Okur ain't goin anywhere. And just because ESPN said that Wallace is going to be a key to a championship, A) doesn't mean they're right, and B) doesn't mean they were applying that thought to the Nuggets puzzle. I saw what you're mentioning.. and I basically wrote it off as dumb ESPN reporting, which there's far too much of these days.

Back on topic, I think this will help JR a lot. Unless he gets in there and starts relating to some of the hardened criminals. I hope his family and agent pay him regular visits to keep him focused.

This will also help some of the other Nuggets behind him such as Sonny Weems, and Lawson possibly get a lot longer look while he's out, if there are any team related activities during that time of the sentance serving.

Hard to say how it will impact JR. I'm not sure how many pro athletes have served time and come back to be the same/better/worse than when they went in.

He's only 23 (21 when the accident occurred). I hope he matures and becomes a better person.

This Denver Post article says that he was taken into custody and to the jail immediately after the sentencing.

So the good thing is he won't miss any games if he does his community service. And is unlikely to miss any official off-season activities since he'll be out on the first day of August.

My concern would be the psychological effect it will have on him. Hopefully, it will send a message to him and he'll be a much more mature person in the future.

The impact of JR's error in judgement was the death of a close friend. Devasting for the family and friends of Andre Bell and not the first documented error in judgement on JR's behalf (including five license suspensions). This one exacted the ultimate price.

I don't think it possible to predict how the time to reflect will affect him. And to try to put that into basketball terms seems to me unwarranted. It's just basketball.

JR has been gifted with extreme talent. It is my hope that he will dedicate himself to excellence in all manners of his life out of respect for Andre Bell, the Bell family and to his own family who all have to carry this heavy burden.

I can only hope the best for JR in this situation. It's not a serious Michael Vick type sentence, but as Denzel said in training day "Nobody wants to go to the booty house." As mentioned in other comments I hope this gives him a chance to reflect on what his life can become, both positive and negative. And that he come away from this whole ordeal with a new perspective on life. He's a father now, so it's in his families best interest that he wises up.

Everyone seems to forget that JR is in fact gang related. I won't go so far as to say he IS a gang member, but he does have roots there. My real fear is that some low life who thinks he has something to prove does something stupid to JR while he's confined. Denver and Aurora seem to have a lot of dumbasses both in and outside of correctional facilities. And we all remember what a couple of those dumbasses did to Darrant Williams a couple of years back.

Here's hoping JR does his time and stays out of trouble for good.

Wait a tic.

I just realized that he probably wasn't tried or sentenced here in Denver. Disregard please the statement of dumbasses in Denver and Aurora, as it does not pertain to this story. For the record though dumbasses have adapted themselves throughout history to live anywhere. So JR may not be out of hot water just yet.

Eric K,

Give me a break. Bad reporting when everybody who is involved thinks he's the biggest free agent this season? You really think adding Wallace wouldn't put the Nugs in a much better situation to handle LA? I've been talking about Wallace for months and I am not going to respond to you with all the ways he would help the team. I am also not going to write how they can make it happen, if you want to figure that out then read my other posts. Okur has a player option this year and the last I checked he hasn't given word to Utah on whether or not he will take it. For some reason you think Wallace will help Orlando, Cleveland, Boston, or Dallas more than Denver? Know your basketball before you talk to me on this subject again.

Okur has exercised his player option - he's staying where he is ... http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/david_aldridge/06/30/jazz.boozer.okur/

Thanks for helping Gasus out with the Okur news Zaf, which I didn't post a link to back up my "Okur ain't goin nowhere" statement earlier...

I love Rashweed Gasus and I wasn't trying to pick a fight with ya kid, but I'm not looking at him as a good fit here.

Anyway, he's a lot older than when he helped get Detroit over the hump, and I've seen a lot of his games in Det having used to live there. He's basically not one but two steps slower at this point, he's not a great defender unless he's camping in the paint (he can't keep up with a penetrating offensive player if he picks him up on the perimeter) and offensively, he's basically a spot up 3 shooter with a decent turnaround down low. But he doesn't crash the boards like he used to offensively or defensively (which being a shell of what he used to be is still serviceable I supposed - because he used to be a monster), and his shot blocking skills aren't great because he can't close out like he once could.

All that said, I wouldn't mind having him here, but he's just no savior to this team. He could eat good minutes though, and be a plus overall, so if we got him, it'd be nice, but I don't see him curing our need for a starting true Center.

He's a Carolina guy which fits Karl, but his attitude does not... even though I love his attitude. "Ball don't lie" was a staple comment amongst me and my boys back in "Tha D" on everything from opponent free-throws in basketball, to giving the business to anyone who shacked up with an ugly chick, got a hangover, or just messed up in general on anything. I love Sheed, but he's no key to our championship... UNLESS Nene can step up and be a true starting C and let Sheed and Birdman spell him and K-Mart. I'd like to see it, but my actual disbelief in Sheed is more accurately centered (pun) around Nene, moreso than Sheed himself.

And all that said... don't try to call me out my fellow fan o the Nuggets. I know Sheed and what he is capable of. I just don't think there's a true "fix" to our team sans a trade for a true starting center.

Well, I just guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I don't think you know Wallace as well as you think you do. He is one of the best post defenders in the game today. Exactly what the Nuggets need to match up against the only two teams that will impede them from getting to the finals next year. He spreads the floor for the Nugs offense which is clearly most effective when they get to the bucket (Nene actually clogs the lanes), and he provides defense and toughness inside against Gasol, Odom, Bynum, and Duncan. Wallace and Kenyon would load the minutes against the Lakers and at least give the Nuggets a chance. Not to mention if Orlando, Boston, or Cleveland gets to the finals next year the Nugs with Nene and no Wallace wouldn't have a chance against any of them either.

Wallace is the answer but it doesn't look like the Nugs want to win it all next year.

I can kind of relate to JR's story as I too had a troublesome childhood. I guarantee he will come out of this a better person. I never spent time in the slammer (thank god) but I almost had to many times and it all boiled up to a point where I couldn't handle my lifestyle anymore and totally turned things around. I am not JR Smith, but I kind of know what he is going through right now. If anything I think this will be a good thing as I believe JR will finally try and leave this lifestyle behind. I am not saying he won't be in trouble again, just not consistantly like he has in the past. Good luck JR.