<http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_13642.shtml>

NEW YORK -- 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
competitive 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
accumulating 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.

I couldn't have said it better myself...more than worth the paycheck.

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.

Frye and james are immense upgrades over KT. Forget the throw in of Nate and Q which replaces H20.

[Edited by - rvhoss on 08/02/2005 21:22:54]

Shandon Anderson is the obvious candidate if Houston isn't waived.

Posted by djsunyc:

Posted by tomverve:

Shandon Anderson is the obvious candidate if Houston isn't waived.

is it waive a player or contract?

A contract can be used with the amnesty rule even if the player is no longer on the team.

lord.

the amnesty doesn't free the contract---it ONLY frees the luxury tax part of the equation.

a team still has to pay the contract. sooooo the bigger the fish the more people eat at the Dolan household

Shandon is a minnow