Delonte West is ready to put the past behind him and focus on basketball again. At least, that’s what he’s saying.
West didn’t play last season after he was cut by the Mavericks just before the team’s opener. After that, the combo guard played briefly in the D-League, but he’s been unable to find a new NBA team to call home.
However, the former Celtics guard has a message for championship-hunting teams that are looking for the missing piece that could vault them to a title.
“I’m here. Y’all know it and I know it,” he said in a recent interview with SLAM Magazine.
Indeed, West is available for the taking, but it’s likely not his talent that’s ever been in question — he averaged 9.6 points and 3.2 assists in 24.1 minutes per game with the Mavs in 2011-12. Instead, his off-the-court problems have likely been cause for concern for potential NBA suitors. He was arrested on weapons charges in 2010 before getting cut by the Celtics and it’s believed that a pair of arguments during the 2012 preseason led to his release from the Mavericks.
Last season was especially hard for West, who was forced to watch games from his home in Dallas, just aching for a chance to play again.
“I had tears in my eyes watching games this past year — not because I’m bipolar, but because I’m sitting at home and miss the game,” West said. “When my agent calls, I’m going to be on the next flight. Not to be cocky, but some teams that are trying to win are one guard away, one guy that can make a couple great plays away from going to the Finals.”
Whether West can be that guy remains to be seen, but at this point, all he’s looking for is a chance.
