Despite the fact LeBron James is in Los Angeles, J.R. Smith all the same matters if merely for his style and tendency to put his swoosh-laden shoes in his oral fissure. Never was this more true than when he was asked if he'd talked to the NBA about the report he'd exist fined every time he played without roofing up his new Supreme tattoo.

"No. For what?" Smith said subsequently practice on Tuesday. "I don't talk to the police force. That doesn't do anything for me." The analogy might seem a flake forced, but Smith had to plow himself in to the NYPD earlier in the summer for a criminal mischief charge, stemming from a phone-throwing incident exterior a guild earlier in the summertime.

Smith pointed out the hypocrisy of the league'southward stance with other players—Marcin Gortat with the Jordan Make'due south Jumpman logo visible on his lower leg, and Carmelo Anthony with the Warner Bros WB logo etched on his shoulder to celebrate his West Baltimore roots—prominently displaying their own ink that likewise has ties to a brand.

"They just said information technology's branding," Smith said. "Merely I'm non the just person with brands on me so it'due south more that. I know that. They know that. Everyone knows that."

Here's a refresher on the NBA'south argument about the tat:

Smith and Supreme have a history, too, so it's not similar he got the tattoo isn't based on bodily affection for the brand. "Information technology was a partnership on both sides," Smith said about Supreme x Nike collab he modeled in earlier this year. "They felt as if I would exist a perfect athlete for it. I felt that I would exist too. They reached out to my representation and we got the deal washed. It'due south a perfect fit. I love it."

Despite their professional partnership, the brand isn't compensating Smith for the new ink. "I got the tattoo the other day, my guy Rico in the Bronx did it for me," he said during an circuit with Sneaker Shopping earlier in the summertime. "In that location was a lot backside information technology. People were like, 'Are they paying you for it?' and I was like, 'No,' so they were like, 'What are you doing it for?' And I was like, 'That's who I am.' That'due south why I am who I am. It worked out."

Hopefully, the NBA backs off their stance because it doesn't look like JR is willing to wearable something to cover up the new ink; although, it would rankle NBA executives and remain on brand if he wore a Supreme sleeve to cover it up during games.