Former Cavs Player Says It’s ‘Disrespectful’ J.R. Smith Is Still Unsigned

Former Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Isaiah Thomas said it’s disrespectful that two of his former teammates remain unsigned by NBA teams with the 2019-20 regular season already underway.

Thomas also mentioned Carmelo Anthony, a 10-time All-Star, and Jamal Crawford, a three-time Sixth Man of the Year awardee, as players who should be on an NBA roster by now.

“It’s disrespectful,” Thomas said. “Carmelo Anthony is a Hall of Famer. Jamal Crawford is arguably the best sixth man to ever play the game. J.R. Smith is a champion. Iman Shumpert is another one that needs to be signed. These are great players that, for whatever reason, are not on a team, and they can help a young team, a championship-contending team. They can help in any way possible. They’re really good players and it just sucks that it’s an unfortunate situation they haven’t been signed. But hopefully, they’re signed soon.”

Smith was waived by the Cavaliers in July, while Shumpert is a free agent after his contract with the Houston Rockets expired this summer. Thomas, who signed a one-year, $2.3 million deal with the Washington Wizards this offseason, played alongside Smith and Shumpert on the 2017-18 Cavaliers team.

The season is still young and there’s a possibility that Smith and Shumpert will be picked up by NBA teams within the next few months.