MEMPHIS – Former Nets coach John Calipari yesterday took a swipe at embattled Jayson Williams – the player that likely cost him his job with the Jersey franchise.

When asked about his NBA coaching aspirations, Calipari, coaching the University of Memphis in the NIT tomorrow vs. Brigham Young, said, “If you’re losing and you have a couple of bad guys on the team like I had – and one of them has proven it moreso than I thought he would – it’s miserable and not worth the money.”

Williams, the ex-Net center who is being charged with manslaughter and tampering with evidence, is viewed as being the player who convinced Nets management to can Calipari.

When asked about Williams specifically, Calipari said: “I’ve learned if you don’t have anything good to say about someone, don’t say anything. I won’t pile on.”

With the Knicks in town to face the Grizzlies, Calipari got a phone call yesterday from one of the players he loves – Marcus Camby. Calipari said he and Camby, whom he coached at UMass, were to get together today for lunch.

Calipari said he tried to trade for Camby every season he was with the Nets. “I thought we gave Toronto a better offer than the Knicks,” Calipari said. “Teams always were afraid that I’d get him to play. I spoke to the Knicks about him. They laughed at me.”