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ESPN’s Stephen A Smith responded to Phoenix Suns’ Mat Ishbia for calling him out during a recent press conference, which The Ringer’s Bill Simmons took exception to. Ishbia mentioned Smith called him the worst owner, heading into the offseason with an optimistic approach after the Suns failed to reach the playoffs. For Simmons, he could think of a long list of owners who did a worse job with their respective organizations.
Simmons started his take by expressing his respect for Smith but saying it’s still too early to crown Ishbia the worst owner in NBA history, per The Bill Simmons Show.
“We both like Stephen A, but I’m so tired of the historical hyperbole,” Simmons said. “There’s been so many worse owners over the course of 80 years than Mat Ishbia just trading a couple too many teams for Kevin Durant or throwing some swaps at the Bradley Beal trade.”
Simmons named a few disappointing NBA owners from over the past four decades.
“George Shinn, they had to move the team to get him out of town because the town revolted against him owning a basketball team,” Simmons added. “Ted Stepien, they had to create a rule so that you couldn’t trade draft picks because he demolished the Cavaliers for the entire 1980’s and basically helped Magic Johnson, 1980’s Lakers Dynasty with stupid trades. I could go through a million of these. He’s not in the Top 20 yet.”
Simmons also mentioned the New York Knicks’ former owner from the early 2000s.
“We’ve had a million of these. FYI, James Dolan wasn’t exactly crushing it for 20 years there for the Knicks,” Simmons said. “Not to defend him, but Jesus. It’s ridiculous, this whole thing where everything has to be the greatest, the best.”
Mat Ishbia breaks silence over Stephen A Smith’s Suns rant
Suns owner Mat Ishbia called out Stephen A Smith during his end-of-the-season press conference. For Ishbia, what Smith says doesn’t affect him.
“I don’t take much he says seriously,” Ishbia said. “I don’t think many people do, to be honest with you. The things he said about Kevin Durant, just wrong and disrespectful. The things he said about LeBron James were just disrespectful and inappropriate. With that being said, I don’t really think Stephen A. believes what he said. He’s doing his thing.
“He’s on the mic, and he’s doing what, and I think he’ll apologize to me because I think it’s disrespectful to put my name and align with anybody that was kicked out of the league or no longer part of,” Ishbia concluded.
Smith has since apologized for the strong take on Ishbia.
