Brandon Jennings rubs J.R. Smith the wrong way on Twitter

Detroit Pistons guard Brandon Jennings wondered publicly on Twitter why J.R. Smith’s brother was on an NBA roster, and as you can imagine, the comment didn’t go unnoticed by Smith.

by Kevin Zimmerman

Nov 14, 2013, 6:25 PM UTC

Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Can you fault Brandon Jennings for asserting something many have brought up before? On Wednesday, the Detroit Pistons point guard took to Twitter, wondering aloud why the New York Knicks were carrying Chris Smith on their roster, while Jennings' friends, Pooh Jeter and Bobby Brown, were in China struggling to find NBA homes.

RT @BrandonJennings: Wait wait wait JR smith brother is in the NBA but @PoohJeter & @BBROWNLAU isn't. Call me hater but not Rollin!!!
— Holly MacKenzie (@stackmack) November 14, 2013

It was a fair assessment to wonder why Smith, the brother of Knicks guard J.R. Smith, was in the NBA. Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski's sources said just days ago what outsiders assumed -- the Smiths are a package deal, and Chris might not even be viewed within the Knicks organization other than having D-League talent. Even Knicks coach Mike Woodson publicly has said Smith's roster spot was influenced by his brother's presence on the team.

But it makes sense that J.R. Smith was rubbed the wrong way. He noticed Jennings’ tweet, and then had at it on Twitter.

No respect for these lil kids who pop at the mouth on twitter an then want to delete they tweets! #GrowUp! #ManUp! @TheOnlyCSmith0 #Facts!
— JR Smith (@TheRealJRSmith) November 14, 2013

No war! But ain't no #peace RT @TheOnlyCSmith0: I'm a classy no twitter war for me
— JR Smith (@TheRealJRSmith) November 14, 2013

While Chris Smith tried to stay out of the Twitter back-and-forth, Jennings innocently tried to calm things down.

Don't hype this it's not beef. It's just basketball talk. I know how twitter get!!!
— BRANDON JENNINGS (@BrandonJennings) November 14, 2013

It doesn’t appear Smith cooled off completely, however.

Here we go sub tweeting again! I didn't hear nothing when @joshselby32 got in them pockets! Money on me all day everyday go get who u want!
— JR Smith (@TheRealJRSmith) November 14, 2013

The Josh Selby reference probably stems from a dunk by Josh Selby on Jennings when the two were playing in the Goodman League over the summer of 2011.

As for the relationship between Jennings and Smith, which is apparently somewhere between “beef” and “peace,” answers might come when the Knicks visit the Pistons on Tuesday, Nov. 19.