Things have been going so bad for the Seattle SuperSonics lately that even video coordinator Walt Rock and assistant general manager Rich Cho are hobbling around with injuries.
"I walked in today," said coach Nate McMillan, "and I see Jerome (James) with a boot on his foot, and then I look up (on the observation deck) and Rich is on crutches. And I'm thinking, 'What is going on?' "
While assistant GMs cannot be placed on the injured list, 7-foot-2 centers with a bum foot can, and that's where the Sonics placed James. He is required to miss a minimum of five games.
James had a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan done Monday morning that revealed he had a sprained right foot. It will keep him out two to four weeks.
"I was practicing (Thursday), and my foot came out of my shoe," James said. "But I kept on going. I tried to block a shot with my shoe off, and I hurt my foot. It's frustrating because it seems like every time I have a big opportunity, I get hurt."
James said that after his rookie season with Sacramento, he was playing in the team's summer league, was in negotiations for a new contract, and suddenly blew out his knee. He did not get a contract.