J.R. Smith, in his first remarks since being hit with a five-game suspension for failing his third marijuana test, said he feels bad for letting a lot of people down by lighting up.
“The worst thing is I feel let my teammates and coach down,’’ Smith said Monday on Knicks Media Day. “I let Mr. [James] Dolan down. I’m looking to move forward from it. As soon as I’m able to play, I’m hoping to have a good season.’’
Smith, who played hurt in the Indiana playoff series last season, knew he needed surgery on his chipped patella tendon, but waited until mid-July to have it done.
Smith contradicted the Knicks stance he waited to see if the knee was healed. He said it was more about his contract status as a free agent, even though postponing surgery wiped out most of his training camp.
“I’m a father and I have two young children to look after and it made more sense to my family to get a deal done before that,’’ Smith said. “Without a doubt, we had the support of the team. The team supported us and the doc supported us on the decision. It was more a family decision.’’
Smith is rehabbing from the surgery and said he hoped to be ready for the season opener. However, he’d have to sit down the first five games and probably couldn’t debut until the season’s sixth game at the Garden against the Spurs.
Knicks coach Mike Woodson didn’t sound happy about Smith’s suspension.
“I don’t condone anything like that,’’ Woodson said. “J.R. knows he made a major mistake. I haven’t heard his comments, but I’m sure he’s apologized to the guys because we made a commitment to win. Hopefully it’ll be a learning experience.’’
Woodson also expects Smith to be ready for the season opener. An independent doctor hired by the NBA will give Smith a physical to determine if he indeed is ready to play before the suspension kicks in.
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During Media Day, the Knicks chose not to put Italy’s Andrea Bargnani on the podium, as they did with almost every other player in the rotation. Bargnani, who speaks with a heavy accent, spoke on the side of the gym with a small group of reporters and said he could have rejoined Team Italy in September for the European Championships, but didn’t feel he had enough time to get into playing shape.
Bargnani was shut down in early August with pneumonia during Italy’s training camp.
“I was pretty sick but now I’m good, that was in the past,’’ Bargnani said. “But now I’m good.
“I’m back on the court. Last week I practiced. I’ve got to get back to the game shape during training camp. In September I was good when the European Championship started but there was not enough time to recover to get back in game shape and be able to play at such a high level.’’Â
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Metta World Peace taped a comedy stand-up act last week and was back at it during Media Day. When asked his comfort level with the forward positions, World Peace cracked, “I’m most comfortable in the bed.’’
On the Knicks front-office shake-up, he said, “What shake-up? The only shake-up I know is when I’m shaking up my chocolate milk.’’
World Peace also said he thought St. John’s had bolted for the ACC and was serious.