J.R. Smith reportedly suing Chinese basketball club for unpaid dues – NBA News
According to sources with knowledge of the situation, J.R. Smith is suing his former Chinese team; Zhejiang Chouzhou in a bid to receive the $1,078,500 of his salary that the team withheld on claims that Smith had missed team meetings
and practices.
Smith played for the Chinese team during the NBA lockout and was scheduled to be paid $2.88 million. However, it has been learnt that Smith was only paid $1.82 million and also did not receive $18,500 in bonuses that were due for
the victory.
The Chinese team has claimed that Smith missed a series of basketball practices and team meetings to travel to Beijing, Shanghai and the United Kingdom. The Chinese club also claims that they had asked him to send his sister, Stephanie
back to the United States because she was “abusive” and the “root” of Smith missing his commitments.
A FIBA arbitrator from Switzerland will give hear Smith’s appeal and give a ruling on the case.
“It is not possible in the reasonable course of things the player did not attend so many practices [most probably all], held by the club. On the contrary, the player attended many practices and he has presented his excuse for any
non-attendances,” said Smith’s attorney in the complaint, according to the New York Post.
Smith’s attorney also argues that Smith did not miss any basketball games during his time with the Chinese club and also that the club reserved the right to terminate his contract had he missed team commitments, but did not do
so.
The club, on the other hand, claims that they did not terminate his contract because his agent had requested them not to as it would damage his image in the NBA.
Smith has been involved in arguments with the management of previous NBA teams for whom he has played. He has spent time in jail for reckless driving, and was also fined $25,000 by the league earlier this year for posting a picture
of a scantily dressed woman on his twitter account.
Smith was signed by the New York Knicks in February, with an option for the 2012-2013 season. He averaged 12.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game in the regular season and now needs to decide on his option with the Knicks
before June 30th, otherwise he will become a free agent.
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