During YES Network’s broadcast of the Brooklyn Nets’ matchup with the New York Knicks on Sunday, former Nets forward turned NBA analyst Richard Jefferson stated he had the chance to play for the Knicks at the end of his career, but refused to do so.
In fact, Jefferson said the fact the Knicks were the only team interested in signing him was a sign it was time for him to retire.
I refused to play for the Knicks. Like, Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin, they don’t really care. Me, I was the one person that said, ‘Knicks? No, I’ll retire.’ That’s why I retired. They were the one team that offered me a job and I decided to retire. … It’s true, I decided to retire instead of play for the Knicks. … I just knew it was time. When the Knicks were looking for me to play for them, I knew my time in this league was over.
“When the Knicks wanted me to play for them, I knew my time in this league was over.”
– @Rjeff24 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/P58WTxRBIO
— Anthony Puccio (@APOOCH) November 24, 2019
Later on in the broadcast — after his comments went viral — Jefferson said he was told to say he was joking about his comments. But that wasn’t enough for the Knicks.
New York’s PR team took to Twitter on Monday to inform the masses the Knicks didn’t offer Jefferson a deal in 2018 or 2019:
For clarification purposes, it is not true that the New York Knicks offered Richard Jefferson a contract in either the summer of 2018 or 2019.
— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) November 25, 2019