NBA

J.R. bothered by benching, unsure of Knicks future

Knicks coach Mike Woodson refused to talk about J.R. Smith before the game and then refused to play him. Afterward, Smith wondered about his future with the franchise, saying the Knicks coach didn’t give him a heads up that he was sitting.

Smith was benched Thursday in the Knicks’ 102-92 win over the Heat on national TV, punishing the guard for embarrassing the franchise yet again for his recent shoelace caper.

“Honestly, I don’t even know at this point,’’ Smith said after the win. “At one point I was for sure [about his future] and now it’s rocking the boat. It’s the nature of the business.’’

Smith didn’t join the huddle most of the game and sat at the end of the bench, completely disengaged, jabbering with the ballboy.

Smith is not eligible to be traded until Wednesday under a quirk in the collective bargaining agreement for 2013 free agents.

Smith said he and Woodson exchanged no words after the game either. Woodson declined comment on the benching afterward and when asked if he likes this new rotation going forward, he appeared to smirk and said, “We will see. We will play it out and see how it goes.’’

It was the first time as a Knick Smith did not play because of a coach’s decision.

“I didn’t know anything about it,’’ Smith said. “I expected to do the same thing I always do.’’

Smith said after the $50,000 fine came down he didn’t have a conversation with Woodson.

“I think that’s the most misleading part of it.’’

After Smith untied Shawn Marion’s sneaker Sunday in Dallas, the NBA questioned Smith and gave him a warning.

That didn’t stop him from mocking the league, appearing to make an attempt at untying Greg Monroe’s shoes while the two players waited for free throws during the Knicks win over the Pistons. Monroe moved his sneaker away, and it did appear Smith was just making a fake attempt.

“It was a joke but a joke gone wrong,’’ Smith said of the Monroe incident.

“It’s funny because the first time it was done everybody thought it was hilarious [in Dallas]. The second time it was done, it wasn’t even done.’’

Smith said the warning from the NBA wasn’t clear.

“It was one of those warnings where you really don’t know the outcome of it,’’ Smith said.

Woodson said the Smith sneaker topic was off limits. One theory why Woodson was mum on Smith was because he was under an organizational gag order, so as not to damage Smith’s trade value any further.

After the game, Woodson maintained the same stance.

“I’m not going to comment on J.R.,” he said. “Just talk about the game.”

When The Post asked before the game if he had talked to Smith again since the $50,000 fine came down, Woodson said, “Guys, in fairness to our team, I’m not addressing anything with J.R. I’m not. Just not.’’

Though Woodson clearly was not about to defend Smith, the NBA Players’ Association is considering doing so, according to a source.

The Players’ Association is mulling whether to appeal Smith’s latest $50,000 fine for “recurring instances of unsportsmanlike conduct’’ violations and “attempted to repeat the action’’ against Detroit after a warning.

One argument would be it was unclear if Smith touched Monroe’s shoelaces Tuesday, leaving his intent up to interpretation. The appeal would contend Smith was being fined only for the first violation in Dallas with Shawn Marion. Nevertheless, there’s new footage of Smith untying the shoelaces of Dwight Howard in Houston Saturday with Howard returning the favor.

Woodson said plenty on his weekly ESPN radio appearance Wednesday following the $50,000 fine the NBA slapped Smith with earlier that day.

“No, I’m not happy about this. Because he was warned, he comes back and he makes the same mistake, and it’s not right,” Woodson said. “I’m going to address it [Thursday] when he comes in here for work, because it’s unacceptable. It really is. It’s unprofessional. … You just cannot do it.”

Smith’s trade value has hit a new low and sources insist the Knicks seriously would consider trading Smith for a young player or draft pick. They have a shooting-guard glut and feel Iman Shumpert is the more dependable player.

Smith’s arrival in New York midway through the 2012 lockout season was trumpeted by personnel director Mark Warkentien, who also had traded for him when he was with the Nuggets. Owner James Dolan also was Smith’s biggest supporter.

It appears Smith lost the support of Knicks officials with his “betrayal’’ tweet recently after his brother Chris Smith was cut. Dolan had guaranteed Chris Smith’s contract at $491,000 — which was highly unusual for an end-of-the-bench player.

With the luxury tax, Dolan stood to fork over $2.1 million for Chris Smith, who most scouts don’t consider an NBA player. For that, Dolan got accused of “betrayal.’’