Cleveland Cavalier guard, J.R. Smith, is being sued for $2.5 million. The court case is in connection with an accused altercation with a 19-year old, named Justin Brown, just outside a New York City nightclub last November.
According to ESPN, the lawsuit was filed last Thursday, which was the same day as the NBA team arrived to play at the Brooklyn Nets home court. The plaintiff, Justin Brown, claimed that he asked the NBA player for a picture after the Cavalier guard left the celebrity hotspot Oak Nightclub in the Chelsea area of Manhattan around 4 A.M.
As the Cavalier's player refused to take pictures with him, Brown allegedly insulted the player. Brown shouted at Smith, "that's why you got kicked out of New York." After the act, Brown stated that Smith started to attack him.
The Washington Post claimed that the court documents revealed that Smith turned down the request before he attacked Brown. He tried to choke and strike Brown in the head and neck areas.
"If they have the audacity to file a frivolous claim against J.R., we will counterclaim for defamation and defend the suit aggressively," stated Smith's Attorney, Alex Spiro. The Attorney also added, "This was a cash grab from the start."
Smith's Attorney also represented Thabo Sefolosha, which was arrested last April in the very same spot. He represented Sefolosha in the aforementioned incident, in which he sued the New York City police department.
The 19-year old complainant is suing Smith for physical injuries and emotional distress. The NYPD and the Manhattan District Attorney spent two months probing Brown's claims. But they did not arrest Smith or bring charges against him.
CLEVELAND claimed that when asked about his court case after the Cavalier's 107-93 victory against the New York Knicks on Saturday, the team guard stated, "I don't have a comment on that. It is what it is." He also went on to mention, "I anticipated that more than anything. We'll just see what happens."
Meanwhile, Smith has acknowledged his team's support regarding the situation. Smith's Attorney also insisted that they plan to aggressively defend the suit and file a counterclaim for defamation.
