New Knicks Center Expects Bigger Things

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New Knicks Center Expects Bigger Things
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 7:13 p.m. ET

NEW YORK (AP) -- Jerome James believes his playoff performance against Sacramento was not an aberration, but rather a preview of what's to come when he suits up next season for the New York Knicks.

''I think I've barely scratched the surface,'' James said Tuesday after signing a five-year, $30 million contract with the Knicks that will place him under the tutelage of Larry Brown and give him a chance to resume playing four times each season against Shaquille O'Neal.

James started 80 games for Seattle last season but scored in double figures just 13 times. Against the Kings in the first round of the playoffs, he averaged 17.2 points and 9.4 rebounds in a breakout performance that helped boost his value on the free agent market.

With the Knicks, the 7-foot-1, 280 pound James will replace the departed Kurt Thomas as New York's starting center. Rookie Channing Frye is the likely backup, and the Knicks will be able to end their practice of playing power forwards out of position at center.

''Larry wants shot-blocking, and that's one of the main things we lacked last year,'' team president Isiah Thomas said. ''We needed size, we needed girth.''

Girth is certainly not lacking when it comes to James, whose size was his biggest asset during his first six seasons in the NBA -- two with the Kings and four with Seattle -- and whose penchant for foul trouble was often his worst enemy.

James said his slow development was a product of his late start playing compe ive basketball. He did not play at all in high school, taking the game up at Florida A&M. James has never averaged more than 5.4 points while ac ulating far more fouls (810) than field goals (557) over the course of his pro career.

''When he played 25 to 30 minutes a night, he was putting up extremely good numbers,'' Thomas said. ''I think we're catching him at the right time in his career.''

Thomas also said it was ''safe to assume'' that the Knicks will exercise the one-time amnesty option in the new collective bargaining agreement to waive a high-salaried player and avoid luxury tax liability for his contract.

The most likely option would be to waive Allan Houston, who has a damaged knee and is owed $40 million over the next two seasons. Houston, however, has a strong relationship with owner James Dolan of Cablevision built over the course of their nine seasons together in New York.

The Knicks could choose to use the amnesty option on Penny Hardaway, who will make nearly $16 million next season in the final year of his contract.

Thomas also said the Knicks would not make a trade with Dallas for Michael Finley, who is owed $51 million by the Mavericks and also is expected to be waived by Aug. 15 under the one-time amnesty program. Reports in Dallas said the Knicks and Mavericks were discussing a deal, which Thomas said was untrue.

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With the Knicks, the 7-foot-1, 280 pound James will replace the departed Kurt Thomas as New York's starting center. Rookie Channing Frye is the likely backup

The Knicks were playing Fry at the four alot in summer league. This might be their plan for the season, but it's just as likely James could be so bad that he gets passed up by Fry and five power forwards before the All-Star break.