Jumaine Jones, a seven-year NBA veteran, is in the middle of his first year as a member of the Charlotte Bobcats. Jones, who has also spent time with Philadelphia, Cleveland, Boston, and the Los Angeles Lakers, is averaging 10.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.

Jones, who has shared the court with Allen Iverson, Paul Pierce, and Kobe Bryant, granted me a few minutes of his time following a Charlotte practice this Monday.

Q: How have you adjusted to becoming an integral part of the Bobcats roster?

A: In the past I?ve been on teams with guys like Allen Iverson, Ricky Davis, Paul Pierce, and Kobe Bryant. So it took an adjustment from me because we didn?t have that caliber of players here, but it?s really been an opportunity for me to come in and give our team a lift on the offensive end.

Q: What is it like to share the court with talent such as Iverson, Pierce, and Bryant?

A: It?s definitely a lot easier when you have those kinds of guys, because they draw so much attention on the court. It frees a lot of things up, that?s why it?s been a big adjustment for me coming here. But here I?ve been able to use guys like Raymond Felton that come in and work hard every day. They may not be the same caliber of player, but they come in and work hard every night.

Q: Of your three former teammates ? Iverson, Pierce, and Bryant, who was your favorite to play with?

A: Well, I loved playing with Allen Iverson. Especially when we made it to the Finals against the Lakers in 2001, so I definitely had a lot of fun playing with him. I also had a great time playing with Kobe Bryant, who is one of the best players in the league as far as work ethic, and being a guy who?s going to play just as hard in practice as he does in a game.

Q: You mentioned making it to the Finals in 2001. How driven are you to return to the playoffs?

A: Oh man, I?ve been telling guys around here that they definitely need the experience of playing in the postseason. The atmosphere of playing in the playoffs is one of the greatest things that you can ever be a part of. We have guys here that won National Championships in college, but I tell them that there?s nothing like playing in the NBA Finals.

Q: How far do you feel the Bobcats are from making their first playoff appearance?

A: Well, I definitely felt as though we had a chance this season, but with all the injuries we?ve been pushed back. If we would have had everyone healthy I definitely feel we would have made a run for the playoffs as early as this year.

Q: Of all the players on the Charlotte roster who do you feel is the most underrated?

A: I would say Melvin Ely.

Q: The Bobcats have three great young talents in Raymond Felton, Sean May, and Emeka Okafor. Who do you feel will have the best career?

A: I think all three of them will have great careers, but I?m a huge fan of Raymond Felton. I?ve been a fan of his since he was in college, so I?ve always liked his game. He?s come along rather quickly this season, and I think he?ll be even better when Emeka is back on the court to help him. I also feel Emeka will come back and do great things for this Bobcat team.

Q: What adjustments have you made that have allowed you to average a career-high 10.7 points per game this season?

A: Coach Bickerstaff gave me the confidence to just go out there and shoot the basketball. He had a meeting with me earlier this season and told me that he brought me here to shoot the basketball, and I wasn?t doing that. So once I had that meeting with him it gave me the confidence to go out on the court and just play the game of basketball.

Q: How involved is part-owner, and rapper Nelly, in the Bobcats organization?

A: He?s been in Charlotte to support us three or four games this season. He?s done a great job of showing support for us.

Q: If you weren?t in the NBA what do you feel you?d be doing right now?

A: I think I?d be somewhere around the game, maybe coaching.

Q: Who would you award the NBA?s MVP to this season?

A: With his individual accomplishments, hands down I?d say Kobe Bryant.

Q: In Charlotte you have terrific rookie talent in Felton and May, but most around the league agree that Chris Paul is undeniably the Rookie of the Year. Do you agree?

A: Definitely. He?s been having one heck of a season this year, and he?s leading them on a playoff run as a rookie. I think he?s second in the league in steals, and he?s putting up great numbers, and dishing out the ball. He?s been doing great things, and I think hands down he?s the rookie of the year.

Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com