Knicks head coach Mike Woodson says it’s time for JR Smith to grow up

Knicks star JR Smith had an eventful summer. He signed a new four-year deal with the Knicks, had knee surgery, dyed his hair three colors and got suspended for violating the leagues substance abuse policy. Now that NBA training camps have opened, head coach Mike Woodson has made it clear that it’s time for JR to grow up.

“I’m not going to throw him out to the pasture,” Woodson said. “My job is to coach him and make sure something like what happened doesn’t happen again. That’s what we do as coaches, and I expect his teammates to show him love. But at the end of the day he’s got to do the right thing by J.R. and his teammates, and me as a coach and this organization and the fans that support him. I mean, that’s what it’s all about.

“He’s got to grow up and do the right things.”

Woodson also said JR realizes he’s let the team down

“You talk about missing the first five games, I’m not happy about it,” Woodson said. “But hey, we know what we’re facing and we’ve got to get through it, and we’ve got to make sure that he understands it’s something that can’t happen again.”

Wednesday, JR addressed where he plans to concentrate his focus this season.

“I think every day I step into the gym I have something to prove, not to anybody else but to myself,” he said. “I feel I can always get better. I have so much room for improvement, and I just want to be the best player I can be. Right now I’m not at the elite level yet.”

Good luck with that Earl.