New York Knicks forward Metta World Peace has no bad blood with his former Los Angeles Lakers team, even predicting that they'll play for the right to hoist the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy this season.
"I think the Lakers are going to go to the NBA Finals," World Peace said during a signing for his children's book "Metta's Bedtime Stories" in downtown Manhattan on Wednesday.
"I think Kobe [Bryant's] gonna be healthy, they're gonna get Pau [Gasol]. The Lakers are gonna make a big trade like they always do. They're gonna get another good player, boom, boom, and they're gonna go to the Finals. I believe it. Kobe's gonna come back, he's gonna play team ball, and Pau's gonna play well."
That's a bold statement to have for a team that's supposed to be your competition, however, World Peace did address his situation with the Knicks as well, saying he'd be comfortable providing a role coming off the bench in the upcoming season.
"I mean, I came off the bench when I was in Houston, they tried it. I had to start later because I had to get us out of the first round. And then I came off the bench when I was in L.A. and they tried it and then I had to start," he said. "So I don't have an issue with coming off the bench. I've been starting for 15 years, so hey, it should be somebody else's chance to start.
"I've been starting for 15 years. I could've went to any other team I wanted to and started. I got calls from Oklahoma (City) and the Clippers, all these teams, but I came here and it wasn't to start, it was to win a ring."
So I wonder if World Peace is predicting a Lakers-Knicks NBA Finals this year, that would be interesting to say the least.
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