http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1082538121240220.xml N.O. to Mashburn: make yourself scarce Hornets say latest comments by forward detrimental to team Wednesday, April 21, 2004 By Jimmy Smith Staff writer MIAMI -- Hornets forward Jamal Mashburn began this year in self-imposed exile at his home, rehabilitating an ailing right knee. On Tuesday, the team told him he could remain there for whatever remains of the 2003-04 season, banishing the injured forward because of comments it deemed offensive and detrimental to its postseason focus. Mashburn, in an interview with The Miami Herald published Tuesday morning, criticized the Hornets for the way they have handled several of his injuries in the four years he has spent with the team, saying his condition has been misdiagnosed more than once. He also hinted he might retire. Executive vice president of basketball operations and general manager Bob Bass met with Mashburn at the team's hotel Tuesday morning and told him, in effect, he is no longer welcome around the club during its playoff run. "We're in a playoff situation here and we need for the team to be totally focused on the playoffs," Bass said. "Jamal Mashburn's article in The Miami Herald today was at an inopportune time for us. It was somewhat of a distraction to us. "So he won't be with the team on the bench -- he's not on the playoff roster anyway -- so he won't be on the bench or with the team the rest of the playoffs. Other than that, that's about it. This came at a bad time. A real bad time." Mashburn, in his comments, questioned the team's commitment to its players' well-being. "One thing I don't do is sugar-coat things," Mashburn told The Herald. "I say what I have to say. I speak the truth. This organization and the way things were done, I've been misdiagnosed a couple times, and it's gotten to the point where I have to take care of myself. "This is something I've dealt with for the past couple years. It's been real difficult. It kind of shows you what pro sports is all about. Sometimes it's not the athlete's best interest that's in mind. They just want you out there on the court. Sometimes you have to take things into your own hands. That's the sad part about it." Mashburn told the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel on Tuesday afternoon he would meet with Bass in New Orleans on Thursday. He also said that his comments were nothing that he had not said in the past. However, in a November interview, Mashburn went out of his way to praise the Hornets for allowing him the latitude to seek second medical opinions and rehabilitate at home following arthroscopic surgery on his right knee to remove "loose particles." Mashburn was first injured Oct. 7 when he bumped knees with a teammate during the last full-scale scrimmage of training camp. "I give Bob Bass a lot of credit," Mashburn said in November. "He's dealt with me before on a lot of different issues. He wants me healthy, and obviously he wants me out there. I want to be out there, but he's agreed on who I feel comfortable with doing the surgery and what setting I'm going to feel most comfortable during rehab. I've got to give Bob a lot of credit for that." Five months later, his comments to The Herald weren't as flattering. "I remember one time when I had an ankle sprain (the Heat, for whom Mashburn played from 1997-2000) flew in an acupuncturist. I don't know if it worked, but they really tried. That says a lot. With this organization, there have been times when I had to go find my own doctors. I had to do the leg work. "I had to make sure I was OK. I don't think you're always treated as if you're human. You want me to average 20 points per game and do this and do that, I know what I have to do to do that, so I had to go take care of myself." Mashburn missed the first 44 games of this season following arthroscopic surgery, an injury first diagnosed as a bone bruise. He did all of his rehabilitation at his home, preferring to stay away from the team and his teammates. Mashburn did not attend the Hornets' first regular-season game in Miami against the Heat on Nov. 25, despite the fact he lives a short distance from AmericanAirlines Arena. Those decisions caused hard feelings between Mashburn and some teammates, and the problems have lingered. He returned Jan. 28 and played 19 games before returning to the bench with pain in this right knee March 10. He was put on the injured list March 16 and has not played since. The Hornets did not place Mashburn on the postseason roster. He earned $8.525 million this season and is scheduled to earn $9.3 million next year. If he retires, the Hornets could be responsible for all or part of that figure, depending on the ultimate circumstances of the retirement. Players were unaware of his departure Tuesday afternoon, but most said Mashburn's continued absence made little difference. Coach Tim Floyd, who said he had no input into the decision, said he'd prefer to focus on tonight's Game 2 against the Heat. . . . . . . . Jimmy Smith can be reached at [email protected] or (504) 826-3814. --

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