Report: J.R. Smith sued for $2.5M over nightclub incident
Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard J.R. Smith has reportedly been sued for $2.5 million by a man he encountered outside of a New York nightclub in November, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst.
In the lawsuit, Justin Brown claims Smith choked him and struck him in the head and neck after the NBA player refused to take a photo with him near the 1Oak nightclub, where Smith was coming from. Brown's reportedly suing for physical injuries and emotional distress.
"If they have the audacity to file a frivolous claim against J.R., we will counterclaim for defamation and defend the suit aggressively," Smith's attorney Alex Spiro told ESPN. "This was a cash grab from the start."
Smith wasn't arrested at the time of the alleged incident, and no charges were filed after a two-month investigation.
The police report notes that Smith's actions stemmed from Brown poking fun at him by shouting, "That's why you got kicked out of New York," after his photo request was denied.
Smith and the Cavaliers are in New York to take on the Knicks on Saturday night. They fell 104-95 to the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday.