Suns proprietor Mat Ishbia had a message for Stephen A. Smith throughout a information convention on Thursday, basically telling the sports activities discuss host that he could be consuming his phrases after the ESPN speaking head ripped him.
Smith made the touch upon “First Take” earlier this week, saying that the Suns head was “on the verge of being recognized as the worst owner in the history of basketball.”
Ishbia was given the prospect to reply on Thursday throughout an end-of-the-season press convention, the place he stated that folks “don’t take much he says seriously,” earlier than predicting Smith would say he was sorry.
“He’ll apologize,” Ishbia stated of Smith. “I think he was out of line. And I think he knows that. I don’t think he really believes that.”
The Suns proprietor rattled off what he’s accomplished for the neighborhood and investing within the staff, as effectively for the WNBA’s Mercury.
“Stephen A. Smith, I don’t take much he says seriously. I don’t think many people do, to be honest with you,” Ishbia stated. “The things he said about Kevin Durant, just wrong and disrespectful. The things he said about LeBron James, just disrespectful and inappropriate. With that being said, I don’t really think Stephen A. believes what he said. I think he’s doing his thing, he’s on the mic and … I think he’ll apologize to me because it’s disrespectful to put my name aligned with anybody that was kicked out of the league or no longer part [of the league].”
Ishbia could be ready some time earlier than he will get that apology, although Smith appeared prepared to reply, first on-line earlier than a plan to handle the problem on ESPN’s airwaves on Friday.
“I look forward to responding to this on @FirstTake tomorrow morning,” he wrote on X. “I love how folks intentionally misconstrue just to avoid the real subject at hand….what I was really saying. But that’s okay! I look very much forward to providing clarification. My pleasure. See y’all in the morning!”
Ishbia labeled the 2024-25 season as a “failure” throughout the information convention, and the group is headed into the offseason with loads of questions.
The Suns completed with a 36-46 report and fired head coach Mike Budenholzer.
