– How do you feel being back on court?
– Well, it’s not my first game back, I played in D-League, but it’s really pleasant being back on the Rockets roster and I hope I can help the team more.
– What was the situation after the trade with Pistons?
– The medical examination is a funny thing. The team doctor simply says whether you pass or don’t, although they may not even do any checks. Those 48 hours actually just let the team decide whether they want you or not. The Pistons announced I did not pass the medical, although I surely did pass it and played even before it. I just got ‘screwed’. The injury was a pretense to call off the trade. They changed their minds.
– Did you want to play in Detroit?
– Whether I wanted or not, the trade happened, so I started concentrating on playing there, but we all saw what happened. I was in Detroit, I stayed with the team for 3-4 days. I saw the practice, I did other stuff.
– How serious is your back injury, truth be told?
– Now everything is fine. During the All Star break I worked with a back specialist in Vancouver. When the season ends I will most likely go there again to work some more. As much as I talked to doctors and saw the photos, there is nothing serious, all problems are temporary.
– So you are not afraid there is something serious?
– So far I do not feel anything. Everything’s alright. Some things are really tiresome – I have come to the arena to warm up much earlier, but now it has to become part of my life.
– The Rockets wanted to trade you, but now you are staying in Houston. It looks like some sort of misunderstanding?
– I wouldn’t call it that. The Rockets were not giving me away for free, they got a high draft pick. A high pick is very useful, so I completely understand them. From my side, I see it as a business. I know they did not want to give me away and offered many other players to the Pistons, but the guys in Detroit wanted only me. Now I will be talking to my agent and lawyers to clarify what to do next. The Pistons had access to my full medical history, so they shouldn’t have done what they did to me. They decreased my value. The medical examination I ‘failed’ was a joke. The Pistons will have some explaining to do why they did not want the trade anymore. We will see what happens.
– What keeps you up at night at the moment?
– How to help the team reach the playoffs and go as far as possible once there. I am not preoccupied about raising my value, because I play basketball for the love of the game and not for money. Sooner or later the money will come, but you may only win the ring once or twice in your career.
– Don’t you think it would be useful for you to play some more in the D-League?
– I played four games there, I spent the All Star weekend working and I really feel I am not in such a bad shape. I think I’ll stay where I am. It seems the coach also wants me here.
– How do you deal with all the ups and downs in Houston?
– That’s life. You either give up, or you dust yourself off and go further. I stayed in the gym 8 to 5 for three or four months. I will regain my shape. I need just some patience and some consistent work. Of course you can want everything immediately, but that does not happen.
– It seems your reaction to the situation is much calmer than when you used to stay on the bench in your first seasons?
– My reaction is calmer, because I know I am still not in my best shape. I will still need a lot of time in the gym to regain it, and I will fight back for my minutes.
– Is there a chance of seeing you in the national team?
– We will see. It will very much depend on how I will feel now and how the team ends the season. As I said, I will be going to Vancouver as well, then we will see what my schedule is. I will also become a restricted free agent, so there’s that. There are many circumstances at play here.
