Stephen A. Smith calls Knicks Leon Rose a coward for Tom Thibodeau statement

Stephen A.Smith isn’t happy with Knicks president Leon Rose’s “weak ass statement” attempting to justify Tom Thibodeau’s firing.“I think we all as New Yorkers should find Leon Rose’s statement offensive,” Smith said Tuesday on “NBA Today.” “Get the hell in front of a microphone and a camera and answer questions.

Stop being a coward … that’s how he’s been acting as president of the New York Knicks when it comes to communicating with the media and articulating the decisions that you make and why they are being made.”In Rose’s statement after the shocking ouster, he said the Knicks are “singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans.”“I don’t care about that damn statement,” Smith continued in his rant.“I want to see Leon Rose stand before the camera and justify firing a man that just took you within two games of a berth to the NBA Finals right after you decided to trade five picks for a guy that never even made an All-Star.”Rose assumed his role in 2020 and has not done a solo press conference with independent media since.“Leon Rose has done a damn good job, nobody can deny that,” Smith admitted.

“But it hasn’t been a flawless situation.There are moves that could’ve been made that could’ve better positioned the New York Knicks to be in a championship situation … But it hasn’t happened — then you’re gonna issue some weak ass statement like, ‘we really, really care.’”The Eastern Conference finals run this postseason was the Knicks’ deepest since 2000, when they also lost to the Pacers in six games.The Knicks made the playoffs four times under Thibodeau’s stewardship.Smith wants more answers from both Rose and team owner James Dolan.“It emanates from a James Dolan-run organization, who doesn’t want to communicate with the media himself,” Smith said.

“They don’t have to answer to anybody because they know that Knicks fans are still gonna show up at Madison Square Garden pat...