Jermaine O'Neal told Sports Illustrated that he doesn't want to be part of the Pacers' "youth movement."
O'Neal said he wasn't physically ready to "go through another five to six years with a lot of losses and lot of down time."
O'Neal spoke with Sports Illustrated while in Los Angeles for a charity basketball game. But back in Indianapolis Monday afternoon, he clarified his statements on the issue.
The big question: Did O'Neal tell Sports Illustrated that he wanted a trade from Indiana?
"No, I didn't tell him I wanted a trade. The article didn't say I wanted a trade. Obviously you go out west, there's been a lot of talk about me going out west, especially in LA, you get a lot of questions about that. I still stand pretty firm on what I've been saying the entire summer. I'm a Pacer right now until the Pacers decide to trade me," O'Neal said in an exclusive interview with Eyewitness Sports shortly after arriving back to Indianapolis from the west coast.
"Would I welcome a trade to LA? Yes, I would welcome a trade to LA for multiple reasons because one, I'm familiar with the area and two, I'm really familiar with Kobe Bryant. We've known each other since I was like thirteen, and three, they're not a team that's too far away."
O'Neal says he loves Los Angeles and normally trains there in the summer. If he can't play with Kobe Bryant, O'Neal says he'd like to play for New Jersey.