Professional athletes love Twitter. The social media platform offers athletes another medium for trash talking and calling out others without actually having to do it to their faces. Plus, fans get to sit back and watch the entertainment come to them. In the latest addition of NBA social media beefs, Knicks star JR Smith and point guard Brandon Jennings take shots at one another.
The entire war of words between the two players stems from Smith's brother, Chris. The New York Knicks signed the brother to a $2 million contract, becoming the first D-League player to earn a contract of that size. It has become a running joke in the NBA. Head coach Mike Woodson even admitted that having J.R. on the roster played a big role in why Chris was not released after the Tyson Chandler injury in order to make room for another player in the salary cap.
So with that, the Detroit Pistons point guard sent out a tweet saying, "Wait wait wait JR smith brother is in the NBA but @PoohJeter & @BBROWNLAU isn't. Call me hater but not Rollin!!!" Of course Smith was not going to take the hate sitting down. He picked up his iPhone (c'mon he was not using a Blackberry) and responded by posting an underlying threat to Jennings.
"No respect for these lil kids who pop at the mouth on twitter an then want to delete they tweets! #GrowUp! #ManUp! @TheOnlyCsmitho #Facts!" Smith then went on to say he was going to call up some of his "street homies" to put Detroit "on smash." Naturally, Chris Smith responded saying he was too classy to start a Twitter war. #Smart.
There has been plenty of rumors stating that Chris was wrapped in as a package deal when JR signed his new contract with the Knicks in the offseason. The brother is also represented by Creative Artists Agency who has plenty of the Knicks players on their pay role.
If the Knicks get desperate, they might have to cut Chris in order to sign a player to replace the injured Chandler for a few weeks. Chris is only 1-for-7 shooting in 20 minutes of play this season. Pairing that with his over-blown contract and he becomes the best candidate to get the boot from the Knicks.
