Jason Collier has had little to no impact on the Rockets since being drafted with the #15 pick in 2000, but that hasn't stopped him from pinning the blame on others about his opportunities here.
Collier, who has been very quiet throughout his career in Houston, vented to the Springfield News-Sun in Ohio (where he played high school ball) on a variety of topics, including being placed on the injured list with fake injuries, getting no opportunities in Houston, his free agency this summer and why he's the odd man out next to Kelvin Cato and Yao Ming.
"All of (my injuries) have been phantom injuries," Collier told the paper.
"That is how they get rid of you — they put you on the injured list and let you ride it out. It's very frustrating," added the Rockets third-string center. "Really, when someone has a preconceived notion in their head about you, there's nothing you can do to change it. That's the situation I'm in. And (the Rockets) give other people tons of chances to prove themselves and I never really got one. Others guys can miss a whole year and come back and not have to go over any hurdles like I have had to."
The 7-foot center from Georgia Tech said his agent is testing the waters and all but said he'll be elsewhere next season, hopefully with a team that "has a need".
"I'll be a unrestricted free agent (this summer). In a way, that's kind of a relief but, in another way, it's hard because you feel like you are starting over."
Collier also painted a picture as to why he's behind Cato and Yao on the roster, saying everything but the truth: Both players are better than Collier.
"When they are paying (Cato) that kind of money, you can't put him on the injured list," said Collier. "The whole thing with Yao Ming ... well, they have put him in every position to succeed and there is just no way they are going to let him fail because if they do then it makes them look bad because of all the publicity he's got being the No. 1 draft pick."
Remember: While reading this, try not to think about Collier being paid over a million a year guaranteed the past 3 seasons for doing nothing and definitely don't harp on the fact that the 6 players taken immediately after Collier in the 2000 NBA Draft, in this order, were Hidayet Türkoglu, Desmond Mason, Quentin Richardson, Jamaal Magloire, "Speedy" Claxton and Morris Peterson.
It only makes it that much more painful.
