Notebook | "Use me or move me," former Sonic James says

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."

Notes

• Organizers of Save Our Sonics are putting together a written proposal highlighting the benefits of having an NBA team in Seattle. The document will be sent to the NBA relocation committee, which will decide whether the league will give permission for owner Clay Bennett to move the team. The NBA Board of Governors will rule on Bennett's petition at the April league meetings.

• Since returning to the starting lineup, Chris Wilcox has at least 16 points in four of the past five games, including a 20-point outing in Saturday's 86-85 win over New York. He is averaging 16.6 points and 9.6 rebounds in the past five games.

• Rookie F Jeff Green missed his first game of the season because of a sprained left ankle. F Wally Szczerbiak did not play because of a sprained right ankle.

NEW YORK
min		fgm-a	ftm-a	or-t	a	pf	pts
Richardson	37:18	4-11	0-2	0-6	4	4	11
Lee	32:40	4-5	2-2	2-10	2	3	10
Randolph	36:58	9-13	6-9	0-5	4	3	24
Crawford	40:33	9-20	3-3	0-1	1	4	23
Robinson	32:36	0-9	5-6	0-4	2	0	5
Jeffries	13:07	1-3	0-0	1-1	0	0	2
Balkman	17:28	4-5	0-2	0-1	1	1	8
Jones	24:14	1-6	0-0	0-5	3	4	2
Rose	5:07	0-0	0-2	0-1	0	0	0
Totals		32-72	16-26	3-34	17	19	85

Percentages: FG .444, FT .615. Three-point goals: 5-17, .294 (Richardson 3-4, Crawford 2-6, Jones 0-1, Robinson 0-6). Team rebounds: 10. Team turnovers: 12 (15 PTS). Blocked shots: 0. Turnovers: 10 (Robinson 3, Jones 2, Balkman, Crawford, Randolph, Richardson, Rose). Steals: 9 (Balkman 2, Jones 2, Jeffries, Lee, Randolph, Richardson, Robinson). Technical fouls: None.

SEATTLE
min		fgm-a	ftm-a	or-t	a	pf	pts
Wilkins	29:37	4-10	0-0	1-7	2	1	8
Wilcox	34:21	8-12	4-6	2-10	4	1	20
Thomas	24:01	2-4	1-2	1-5	1	4	5
Durant	36:29	7-21	6-8	3-7	1	0	21
Watson	31:05	3-7	2-2	1-2	8	3	9
West	29:54	3-13	1-1	0-2	2	1	8
Collison	23:36	4-6	1-1	4-12	1	5	9
Ridnour	16:55	3-7	0-0	3-4	1	1	6
Petro	14:02	0-6	0-0	4-6	1	1	0
Totals		34-86	15-20	19-55	21	17	86

Percentages: FG .395, FT .750. Three-point goals: 3-11, .273 (Durant 1-1, Watson 1-2, West 1-6, Wilkins 0-2). Team rebounds: 8. Team turnovers: 12 (13 PTS). Blocked shots: 4 (Durant 2, Petro 2). Turnovers: 12 (Wilcox 3, Collison 2, Petro 2, Wilkins 2, Durant, Watson, West). Steals: 7 (West 3, Durant 2, Wilcox, Wilkins). Technical fouls: Defensive three second, 4:04 second. Flagrant Fouls: Collison, :59.0 third.

New York	15	23	23	24 -- 85
Seattle	17	17	29	23 -- 86

Attendance: 12,783 (17,072). Time: 2:18. Officials: Joe Forte, Luis Grillo, Phil Robinson.