Stefan Bondy got a couple of minutes with Mirza Teletovic Wednesday and talked briefly to him about his inactive status (four straight games if he doesn't play Friday)
Here's Bondy's note on Sulia...
"This is my first year in the NBA so I need the time to adjust to some stuff, and Avery has given me time," he said.
But don't you need time on the court? "Not really, you just have to be with the team and see what they do and pick it up."
What has been the biggest adjustment? "I can’t really specify one thing. There are a lot of things, like the basketball is faster, much faster. Once you get in you have to be ready to play and give the team you best you can. I just need a little bit more time to get all the things settled in my head."
Is this tough not playing? "No. Not really. ...For me the most important thing is to just stay in shape and be ready once my name is called."
Teletovic has a three-year, $9.8 million contract. He was the Euroleague's leading regular season scorer last season. He left Caja Laboral in Spain where he played with Pablo Prigioni, now of the Knicks, buying out his contract for nearly $2 million.
In a conference call with beat reporters Thursday, Billy King expressed optimism that Teletovic would get it going soon. ”Some guys when they come over from Europe, it takes a while,” King told the reporters. “Drazen Petrovic, one of his idols, didn’t play at all (in Portland before he was traded to New Jersey) …He's worked his butt off, he’s dropped his weight, and his opportunity will be there.”