NBA at the mercy of FBI in gambling scandal: Stephen A. Smith

(NewsNation) — Stephen A. Smith says the NBA is at the mercy of Kash Patel and President Trump's administration regarding the gambling arrests made last week by the FBI.

Patel, the FBI director, called out Smith after he said that the arrests may have been a part of President Trump's revenge for all the protests and backlash he's facing around the country.

"Kash Patel can act like I'm off my rocker, and all of this other stuff," Smith said in a Monday appearance on "CUOMO." "He can talk that nonsense all he wants to. I ain't got time to be getting into it with no FBI director."

Last week, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier were among more than 30 people arrested in connection with a federal probe into sports gambling and rigged poker games, authorities said.

"I meant what I meant. I'm not saying in any way that the investigation is not on a legal standing, that it's illegitimate or anything like that," Smith added.

"What I said was, for those looking for the president to spare them or to provide a helping hand of assistance, like he's prone to do from time to time for people he likes, don't expect that here."

Trump doesn't forget, has 'petty' qualities: Stephen A. Smith

Smith believes if Trump were to be asked to help those who were part of the alleged scandal, he would brush them off.

He specifically pointed out those in NBA circles who have been very opposed to him.

"The protests, people not wanting to come to the White House, a present star calling him a bum, you know, discontents," Smith said. "Well, LeBron James called him ... a bum. The man is not going to forget. You know how petty he can be."

"And you know, if this inconveniences the league, who he believes have gravitated to a leftist ideology that serves to dog him at every chance, listen, he doesn't have any problem inconveniencing them whatsoever. And that's exactly what he gave Kash Patel the OK to do."