Fort Worth Star-Telegram: James to meet with Avery; decision could come tonight

Having lived in that insufferable city for 6 1/2 years, I can say the AA Center is the equivalent of Arena Football or the old WWF. While I agree that the Toyota Center is dead, it's not like a professional such as Mike James will be compelled by the cartoonish PA system or the Mavs' dancers covered in smoke and glitter.

This comes down to money. If the money is the same, James will sign with Houston because it is home for any number of reasons; if the money is not, he will go wherever the money is with the determining factor being the ability to win.

 

I think that's just good "Mike James ego management."

 

I love the Rockets and hate Dallas like most all of you, but I would not blame MJ one bit for choosing Dallas over Houston. They went to the finals - WE went to the lotto, Hmmmmmm. What would you do? Hopefully he likes us as much as he says he does or as much as rumored, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it. If the Rockets don't get James don't panic. I think we will be pleasantly surprised in the near future.

 

Quote:
Just because a person tells me they want me, or they wanna do something bad for me, one thing I can remember is I did get traded from here. You know, I didn’t have to leave Houston in the first place and I didn’t give Houston a reason in the first place to trade me, but I understand business is never personal. I won’t hold that against nobody, but you can’t tell me how much you really love me.


On Ch 2 Houston.

Mike James is ticked.

Doesn't look to good if you ask me, but what do I know.

 

TC is not "dead" when the Rox are winning.

 

yeah and that's the crowds that mike will remember, not the crappy ones last season.

 

Houston fans support a winning team. Show them you are a serious winner, and they go nuts. They've always been that way. I don't like the fickle aspect of that, but it is what it is. And when Houston's fans get behind a team, really get behind it, there are no better fans in the country.

 

Our fans ain't no different than anywheres else. If the Mavs had lost 50+ games and been out of the playoff race with 2 months left in the season, the AAC would have been a tomb too.

 

That's not exactly true. (and I don't give a damn about Dallas fans, obviously! ) There are other cities that support their teams, for better or for worse. Houston if full of fans like that, but they don't pack the arenas or the stadiums unless the team is winning. They support them, win or lose, from their living room couch, or a BBS. There is a hardcore group, sure, that go no matter what, bless 'em, but they don't fill the venues.

I can't explain it, but I'm a Houston native, who followed the Oilers when they first became a team in the AFL, and the Astros when they were the Colt 45's. Yes, they can be great fans and fill a venue when a team is new, but if the Texans, for example, continue their losing ways, at some point the seats will start to empty.

I'm looking forward to many years of sell-outs at the Toyota Center, when the Rockets begin their winning ways again this coming season. And this is only remotely related to Mike James!

 

When T-Mac and Yao took us to the playoffs two years ago the crowd didn't seem that loud for most of the season.

 

I've got a bad feeling that Dallas might snag him.

 

For the people in this thread that were calling me out and accusing me of making things up and said I was some previously banned member here you go:

http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=115138


That pretty much mirrors what was said on the radio and what I posted.

 

The NBA's top remaining free-agent point guard should be off the market soon.


Mike James is expected to announce his next team Tuesday after meeting face-to-face Monday in Las Vegas with Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson. James then returned to his offseason home in Houston to choose between the Mavericks, Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves, all of whom have been negotiating with James during the Vegas Summer League. It's believed that each of those teams is offering the 31-year-old a three-year deal starting at the $5 million mid-level exception.

Mike James
Point Guard
Toronto Raptors

Profile
2006 SEASON STATISTICS
GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
79 20.3 3.3 5.8 .469 .837



The front-runner?


Judging by James' comments over the weekend in Los Angeles at a charity basketball game hosted by Baron Davis and Paul Pierce, it's the Mavericks.


And that's largely because of the former pass-first point guard chasing the shoot-first point guard who's coming off a breakout season in Toronto.


"The biggest 'wow' in this whole situation has been Avery Johnson," James says. "I respect him as a coach, but we have a relationship beyond the court. We've been friends for some years now. I've always respected Avery, even as a player when he had that broke jump shot. But he has a ring and he knows what it takes to win. He's been the person who has wowed me the most through this process."


James added that potential suitors must meet two requirements.


Championship contention is No. 1.

"These three teams want to win," James said. "Kevin Garnett tells me he doesn't want the playoffs, he wants to win the championship. Houston wants to get back to that point, and they've already got two superstars.


"Dallas was two games away," James continued, noting that the Mavs are closest to meeting the first prerequisite. "That's a very important factor for me."


No. 2?


"I want a team that wants to win, but also believes that I'm a significant piece," James said. "It's about trust. That's one of the main things I'm focused on. Do you really believe in me?

"These teams tell me they do. For them to say, 'Mike James, you're a significant piece,' that humbles me. With all the stuff I've been through -- everyone telling me I can't, can't, can't -- I'm humbled that these three teams believe in me."


While he stops short of requiring a spot in the starting lineup, James isn't shy about his belief that he should remain a starter.


"I was top 20 in every category besides rebounding, blocked shots and steals," James said. "There's over 400 players in the NBA, so I think I've proven what I'm capable of. All I can do is continue to work and erase all the critics minds."


And according to James, the critics have been hard at work, hounding him throughout his career. Following a stellar college career at Duquesne, James went undrafted before eventually singing with the Heat as a free agent in 2001. Over the next four seasons, James bounced between Boston, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Houston, respectively, before the Rockets dealt him Toronto on the first day of training camp last October.


James went on to establish new career bests in minutes per game (37.0), assists (5.8), rebounds (3.3) and points (20.3). He became just the second undrafted player in NBA history, after John Starks, to average 20 points in a season.


While some might credit the jump in production to contract-year motivation, James says it was a product of increased playing time, a lifetime of hard work and a love for the game that saved him.


"If it wasn't for the game of basketball, I know what I would have done, and it wouldn't have been nice," he said, referring to his rough childhood in Amityville, N.Y. "The only other thing I knew was the streets. Basketball was my way out, so the only thing I can do to give back to the game is play with my heart."


While James continues to ponder a decision that will alter the course of his career, he already knows where he'll be when that decision is announced.


He dreams of a press conference.


"I never had the chance to wear that hat on the podium in front of the media," James said. "I told my wife, I'm going to the podium because I've never done that before. For me to just do that once, I'm awed by it. I'm thankful."


Sam Alipour is a contributor to ESPN The Magazine.







SORRY GUYS I HAD 2 POST THIS. SCREW ****IN DALLAS DAMN I HATE THEM SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!

 

I am still hopefull it is Houston. James could have decided yesterday right after meeting Avery and Mavs reps.

The money is the same, the 4 year MLE is the most he can get because of the over 36 rule (unless a S&T is worked).

Mavs have the edge in front office rapoire (and they have not traded Mike).

Rockets have the edge in a clarified starting role and being where his house is.

I'd say it is 50/50, but the longer delay from his meeting with Avery and the more he discusses with his family the better for us.

 

Seems like the longer he delays the obvious decision (Houston), the more likely he is to choose an alternative. He's looking for ways to let his wife down easily.

 

I have a question for you guys talking about how Avery anc Cuban is talking to James about how CD traded him.


Didnt they do the same thing to NVE? If they said that to him they are some huge hypocrites.

Dont say Dallas cant use him because they can. Remember how a player with a chip on his shoulder (NVE) did for that team?

How his attitude translated into their game?

Dont underestimate Dallas getting James and it not helping them, because it can tremendously.

 

If he chooses anywhere other than Houston, then he is a b*stard that cares about only himself and not his family. You don't say that you want to go somewhere to be with you family, get that offer, and then turn it down to go somewhere else unless you are a jackass.
If he does not come here:
Mike James=jackass

 

Exactly, the longer he waits, the less it will bode well for Houston. The rockets are pretty much the obvious choice. Why the delay. I never felt good about signing him and if the rockets do I will be surprised. It's obvious Dallas has gotten into his head. It's funny how JVG was at his door step the first few minutes when the free agent market opened and now Avery Johnson is the last one to recruit him. Sometimes in these situations I think I would rather go last to leave that final impression. Who knows.

 

Do you know Mike James personally? Do you know any members of his family? Try to separate basketball players from their personal lives, because you have no business in the latter.

 

NBA Transaction History: http://n-c-systems.com/hoops/

Here's a partial list of players who were "discharged" from the Mavs since 1995:

Doug Christie
Shawn Bradley
Alan Henderson
Mike Finley
Dan Dickau
Jason Sasser
Felipe Lopez
Greg Buckner
Nick Van Exel
Adrian Griffin
Raja Bell
Antawn Jamison
Danny Fortson
Antoine Walker
Tony Delk
Christian Laettner
Eduardo Najera
Raef LaFrenz
Jiri Welsch

What's interesting about this list (when you compare it to a similiar list of ex-Rockets is what a HIGH PERCENTAGE of the ex-Mavericks are still in the NBA as compared to the ex-Rockets.

We've had very few tradable assets for years now....

Who is churning players?

Somehow we need to make the case that wanting Mike James back is bigger than wanting him in the first place.