MEMPHIS – Former Nets coach John Calipari took a swipe yesterday at embattled Jayson Williams – one of the players that cost him his job with New Jersey.

When asked about his NBA coaching aspirations, Calipari, leading the University of Memphis in NIT play 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 one who convinced management to can Calipari in his third season. Kendall Gill was the other.

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.”