Mr.Bottomtooth
02-03-2008, 11:02 AM
Notebook | "Use me or move me," former Sonic James says
By Percy Allen
Seattle Times staff reporter
As Seattle players celebrate Saturday, New York guard and Seattle native Nate Robinson pulls his jersey over his head after his potential winning shot missed. The Knicks fell to the Sonics 86-85
Jerome James feels a sense of loyalty to Isiah Thomas, who gave him a five-year, $29 million contract when he was the New York Knicks general manager three years ago.
Still, the former Sonics center who has battled a foot injury and played just two games this season, said Saturday that he wants to be traded in the offseason to a team where he can play out the final two years of his deal.
"I'm hoping that either they use me or move me," James said. "I love Zeke [Thomas]. Zeke is by far my favorite coach. I had a great relationship with [Nate McMillan]. He's a great guy, but as far as relating to a guy, Zeke is by far my favorite coach. So I don't even want to go to him with this right now.
"I'm not trying to disrupt the team. I know I've been injured. ... I know he feels pressure to throw me out there, and I said, 'No, don't throw me out there. Don't change nothing.' I'm not looking to be moved right now. We can make a playoff push. But the summer is always there. Do it then. If they aren't going to use me, move me."
James underwent foot surgery Nov. 12 and played his first game Jan. 18.
Since leaving Seattle, his career has taken a dramatic down turn.
"I knew my time here was priceless," he said.
He added, "For a Florida boy like myself, this place was heaven. ... And everybody got paid after that [2004-05] season.
"A lot of those guys need to thank me for that. I did the dirty work for those guys. I kept them clean. Nobody messed with them and everybody knew not to mess with them because then you'd have to answer to me. I'm not saying Ray [Allen] and Rashard [Lewis] and those guys owe me any money or anything like that, but they should say thank you."
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2004161276_soniglance03.html
By Percy Allen
Seattle Times staff reporter
As Seattle players celebrate Saturday, New York guard and Seattle native Nate Robinson pulls his jersey over his head after his potential winning shot missed. The Knicks fell to the Sonics 86-85
Jerome James feels a sense of loyalty to Isiah Thomas, who gave him a five-year, $29 million contract when he was the New York Knicks general manager three years ago.
Still, the former Sonics center who has battled a foot injury and played just two games this season, said Saturday that he wants to be traded in the offseason to a team where he can play out the final two years of his deal.
"I'm hoping that either they use me or move me," James said. "I love Zeke [Thomas]. Zeke is by far my favorite coach. I had a great relationship with [Nate McMillan]. He's a great guy, but as far as relating to a guy, Zeke is by far my favorite coach. So I don't even want to go to him with this right now.
"I'm not trying to disrupt the team. I know I've been injured. ... I know he feels pressure to throw me out there, and I said, 'No, don't throw me out there. Don't change nothing.' I'm not looking to be moved right now. We can make a playoff push. But the summer is always there. Do it then. If they aren't going to use me, move me."
James underwent foot surgery Nov. 12 and played his first game Jan. 18.
Since leaving Seattle, his career has taken a dramatic down turn.
"I knew my time here was priceless," he said.
He added, "For a Florida boy like myself, this place was heaven. ... And everybody got paid after that [2004-05] season.
"A lot of those guys need to thank me for that. I did the dirty work for those guys. I kept them clean. Nobody messed with them and everybody knew not to mess with them because then you'd have to answer to me. I'm not saying Ray [Allen] and Rashard [Lewis] and those guys owe me any money or anything like that, but they should say thank you."
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2004161276_soniglance03.html