J.R. Smith is not a fan of DeMarcus Cousins joining the Warriors

It turns out that J.R. Smith has some opinions about DeMarcus Cousins joining the Golden State Warriors. The Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard - who has played against the Warriors in the last four NBA Finals - was answering questions on Twitter over the weekend, when someone lobbed him one about Boogie joining the two-time defending champs.

Asked if he respects Cousins’ decision, Smith answered succinctly: “Nope”.

It’s understandable that fans, who can be a bit steeped in their own biases, would have this type of reaction. It’s a bit weirder to have it come from a fellow NBA player.

Kevin Durant has certainly experienced a similar reaction around the league, but he made the decision to join the Warriors when he was healthy and wanted by all 30 teams.

Cousins, who is still rehabbing an Achilles injury he suffered in January, is not healthy, and had a hard time finding a contract offer in free agency. It’s nearly impossible to twist his decision into “ring chasing” - he had limited offers, and chose a location where he wouldn’t be rushed back from injury or overly relied on, so he could build up his value again for next season. It was a very smart decision.

Apparently Smith sees things differently.