"Don't think that's the time or place" - Ex-NBA All-Star keeps it real about Stephen A. Smith's ill-advised courtside confrontation with LeBron James

LeBron James reacted when he saw ESPN pundit Stephen A. Smith sitting courtside when the LA Lakers faced the New York Knicks. James confronted Smith during a timeout, urging him to stop criticizing his son, Bronny James. Smith has been overly critical of James' approach, stating that it was a 'weak' move for show and that he knew how to reach out to him if he wanted to talk.

Notably, it seems like Gordon Hayward feels that way. Talking on FanDuel TV's "Run It Back," the former Utah Jazz star criticized James for confronting Smith during a game:

“I think we all have moments where we want to confront the talking heads, because a lot of stuff that they say they just don’t know what they’re talking about because they’re not with you in the locker room or they don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes,” Hayward said.

“They have some source and they’re getting second-hand information. Me, personally, I would never do that in public like that. I don’t think that’s the time or the place to do something like that.”

Smith claimed that he would've even flown to Los Angeles to talk to LeBron James face-to-face if he had reached out to him.

LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith have 'moved on,' says Rich Paul

Even so, it seems like it's all water under the bridge. On a Tuesday appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," which is also aired on ESPN, LeBron James' lifelong friend and agent, Rich Paul, stated that both parties had buried the hatchet:

"Yeah, I didn’t think it was much. As adults, you try to handle things in the best way possible, so I’m glad they were able to move on," Paul said.

Paul has made several appearances on Smith's "First Take," and they share an amicable relationship. Smith, while controversial, hasn't shied away from backpedaling or even apologizing when he's been called out or has crossed a line.

This all seems to stem from Smith's criticism of Bronny James. He believes LeBron put him in a tough spot by seemingly forcing the Lakers' hand to keep him with the team instead of allowing him to develop in the G-League like most players taken No. 55 would've done.

Bronny has struggled mightily in his first season in the league, and while expectations should be low for the No. 55 pick, being LeBron James' son comes with much more attention.