Five questions with Raptors guard Mike James

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-060322

Q: You don't hit the open market for almost four months, but you're
already generating some free-agent buzz. After six teams in five
seasons, how pleasing is that?

A: You try not to think about it, because I know if I don't play well,
there won't be any noise. But there's probably been more talk about me
as a Raptor than anywhere I've been, even though we're out of the
[playoff] loop. I thought I would be doing this for Houston. But
Toronto has given me an opportunity to showcase what type of player I
am and what type of person I am.

Q: You didn't hide your disappointment when the Rockets traded you to
the Raptors on the first day of training camp. Did you have a negative
perception of Toronto?

A: Definitely. But I didn't know. I was going off what other people
said. People would look at Toronto and talk about taxes or talk about
having to carry around your passport, these types of things. But I
tried to keep an open mind [after the trade] and once I got around the
city a little bit, I realized it's not like people say. And the best
thing about it was the opportunity that I got from the coaching staff.
That made it much easier.

Q: It's been a rough season for the Raptors, obviously, but it's also
your breakout season. So is re-signing in Toronto your first choice
now?

A: They've given me my opportunity, so I would be wrong not to talk to
them first. I would be wrong to just turn my back on them, and I'm not
going to do that. My thing is, "Can I make this place a home?" Am I
going to be recognized and rewarded [financially] for what I'm doing
now? I'm tired of having past held against me. I'm tired of hearing
about how I [went] undrafted. That was a long time ago. I'm not a
journeyman anymore.

Q: Have you gotten over the Houston trade?

A: It hurt. It definitely hurt, because I felt like Houston was a place
I could spend my whole career. I felt like Houston was a place I could
build my foundation. My wife is from Houston. I'm building a house in
Houston. And Houston is still going to be my home in the off-season. So
[getting traded] was the biggest slap in the face to me.

Q: What's your gut feel: Will Toronto be able to keep Chris Bosh?

A: I think so, yes. Chris wants me to stay and I want him to stay.
We've got something good going. He's going to have to evaluate what's
best for him and his family, but they love Chris Bosh in Toronto.

Although I'm really starting to get irritated with this whole MJ
business and the talks of money that he keeps mentioning, he handles
himself right.

If I were an athlete, I think those are the right things to say. He
says he wants more money, says he was disappointed leaving Houston and
coming to Toronto, but now says that Toronto is a good city and that
he'll evaluate his options...

I think people are just more upset that he's being a bit cocky and
non-challant about this, but oh well, that's his temperament!

Cut him some slack... If we give him MLE or just above (which I don't
see too many teams taking a chance on), then I'm okay with that. We
have the cap room and enough young guys that this can make sense. You
want someone in your locker room that has this kind of mentality (as
long as he's 100% commited to the team). Why wouldn't you want someone
around that DEMANDS the best of himself and his teamates every night?

If he sticks around for 4-5 years, and down the road his skill diminish
(which they likely will), we should (hopefully) be in a good position
with our youngsters (including Calderon, Ukic, whoever we pick up in
the draft and FA) to have MJ coming off the bench for 12-15 per night.

Think of it this way, we were paying Jalen close to $15M/year for less
minutes and production, half the time, off the bench. So giving
someone MLE for better production isn't that bad a deal.