J.R. Smith was arrested in Texas on September 28 after Royse City police officers pulled him over and confirmed there was an active warrant for his arrest. Before the arrest, the conversation turned from basketball to LeBron James and the trade that sent Luka Dončić to Los Angeles.
While officers checked for the warrant, Smith told them he was a former NBA player who retired in 2020, and talked about his career with teams including the Lakers and Cavaliers. Asked whether he had won any championships, Smith said he had two, adding that he won with Kyrie Irving and LeBron James.
One officer, who appeared to support the Dallas Mavericks, called James “He who shall not be named” and blamed him for the 2025 deal that sent Dončić to Los Angeles. “He stole Luka from us,” the officer said. Another officer added that people were unhappy about the trade.
Officers later confirmed the warrant and arrested Smith. The warrant was connected to a charge of assault causing bodily injury—family violence, stemming from an alleged September 18 incident in Tarrant County. Smith was released shortly after being taken into custody and is due back in court next month.
California Post first published video of the interaction with police.
Sources: TMZ.