Cavs' J.R. Smith: 'It's crazy' Phil Jackson would discuss my personal life
In an interview that appeared at ESPN over the summer, New York Knicks president Phil Jackson gave some extremely candid details about some of his former players, including J.R. Smith.
Smith was traded to Cleveland in the middle of last season, and Jackson shared some personal information about Smith that probably should have remained private.
"J.R. had been exhibiting some delinquent behavior and had gotten into the habit of coming late to team meetings, or missing them altogether," Jackson said.
"We talked about his statement to the press that our shooting guard depth was going to be the team's asset, but so far it hadn't worked out that way. He was supposed to carry the scoring load for the second unit and he wasn't doing the job. I also said that because of his unacceptable behavior, he had two strikes against him with this team. He didn't really respond. He's a very sensitive guy, with his big doe eyes. He looked like he was going to tear up. But he finally responded that he was going through some issues with his gal."With the Cavaliers in New York to take on the Knicks, ESPN's Ian Begley asked Smith how he felt about Jackson's remarks.
"It was crazy to me because I try to leave my personal life on the side and when somebody sits there, sits behind a desk and tells you to open up on what’s going on with you, you’re thinking that’s going to be between the two of y'all,” Smith said in an interview with ESPN.com on Friday morning. “So, for me, it tells me something I already knew. But to come from someone like Phil, it's just, it’s crazy. It makes you not want to tell anybody anything [that has] anything to do with your business. It was tough, but that’s how he handles stuff, that’s how he does it."
Smith was asked on Friday if he thought Jackson’s disclosure of a private conversation would be questioned by others in the NBA.
“I’ve talked to a few people and they don’t understand why he did it, but I definitely won’t have that conversation with anybody else after that. So it just stuck with me. It’s all right,” Smith said.[linklist id="477608"]It did seem unnecessary for Jackson to make Smith look bad like this after he was gone, but it wasn't personal -- after all, Smith wasn't the only one who was on the wrong end of some negative remarks.
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