NBA Twitter Beef – J.R. Smith Fined $25K For ‘Hostile Threats;’ Matt Barnes Fined Same Amount For Using ‘N-Word’

The latest series of penalties from the NBA Commissioner's Office were in reference to social media usage. Twitter is the venue of the moment, and the NBA players are alive and kicking.

Unfortunately, they are not allowed to be as entertaining as they are in the basketball court. Recent gangster threats and use of inappropriate language have brought no less than 50 grand to the NBA coffers.

Matt Barnes was fined for his exasperated tweet. While he may be criticized for his intense playing style that can be mistaken for aggression, he realized his mistake, perhaps a few tweets too late.

His Twitter posts were eventually deleted, but this is what he said:

 "I love my teammates like family, but I'm DONE standing up for these n---as! All this s--- does is cost me money." 

The fine was primarily in reference to the 'N-word.' To be specific, the slang term to refer to the 'N-word.' For the unenlightened, that's "niggas" a slang term referring to African Americans.

While it is considered as derogatory and an affront when members of other races use that word to refer to them, African-Americans often use that in a casual manner.

Barnes spoke to reporters after a game and shared (via ESPN): "The word I used is a word that's used on the court, used in the locker room, used amongst my friends and family; it's a regular word to me. I think my mistake was using it in a social manner, which I regret and I apologize for it. But you guys have to get used to it."

In another Twitter related incident, an exchange of barbs escalated between two outspoken NBA stars. Brandon Jennings criticized the New York Knicks signing of JR Smith's brother. Naturally JR Smith took offense and shot back. Unfortunately, he included a gangster reference and also seemed to threaten that he will call his 'street homies' and cause chaos in Detroit (where Jennings plays). The tweet has been deleted.

JR Smith admits to the Associated Press: ''I'm always in trouble with Twitter. There's a way to threaten somebody and that's not the way, to publicly threaten somebody. I haven't tweeted in a couple of months until the other day, so it was working kind of, so I might just go back to that.''