With New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler having been shelved for four to six weeks with a non-displaced fracture of his right leg, one intriguing name has surfaced as a possible replacement.
Jason Collins.
The New York Times threw Collins' name out in connection with Chandler's injury and the Knicks' options on Wednesday. Collins announced at the end of last season that he is gay in a Sports Illustrated article.
At the time, Collins was touted as the first openly gay male athlete still active in a major American team sport. However, Collins - who was on the Washington Wizards roster - never played in a game after his announcement because the regular season was over, and the Wizards failed to make the playoffs.
ESPN recently reported that Collins has been working out in Los Angeles, hoping to earn a spot with an NBA team. He reportedly decided against playing in the D-League or overseas because he felt he could still contribute in the NBA:
"The source told ESPN.com that Collins, at 34, remains convinced that he's an NBA player and would prefer to continue his accelerated workout regimen at home in the Los Angeles area ahead of potential opportunities to join a team in the league this season as opposed to trying to play elsewhere."
According to the Times, many NBA "insiders" have been reluctant to speak publicly about Collins but have insisted that his inability to find work this season has been due to his age, ability (or lack thereof) or even luxury tax complications tied in with the league's salary cap.
But at 7-feet, Collins would give the Knicks some height they desperately need as Chandler works his way back into the lineup. The Times reports that the team does not want to fall behind in the race for playoff seeding during a season after which Carmelo Anthony becomes a free agent.
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