Utah Jazz's Raja Bell — 'As long as they want me here, I will continue to do my job'
Published on Jan 4, 2012 12:04PM
Excerpts from a media interview Wednesday with Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin prior to practice.
Corbin on guard Raja Bell's recent visible frustration: I think it's a better question for him to answer. I really don't — you'll have to ask him the question. His frustration —
Is Bell's frustration affecting his leadership: I would certainly hope not. I thought he did a great job last night, especially on the defensive end of the floor. He made the 3 in the corner; he was up on his guy on the defensive end. I thought he did a great job of just getting up and attacking his guy when he had the ball; weak-side rotations were good.
Excerpts from an interview with Corbin
Recently talking with Bell: Yeah, we talk. Not a one-on-one sitdown talk. No. We talk during practice and we communicate with him like we communicate with everybody else. It is what it is.
His relationship with Bell: We're plugging at it. We lost some on the road, which we're dissatisfied with. And we won some at home, which we're more satisfied with. We're still plugging at it, man. Everything's not set yet and we're still working to get better. I don't think our relationship has been jeopardized any. If you miss shots, that's not anything you should look for a change in a relationship with anybody. … I don't know where the other frustration may be coming from.
Excerpts from an interview Wednesday with Bell
Bell on his public frustration: Really? How? I'm just curious. … I'm curious how I've appeared frustrated and just not affected? They're two different things to me. And so … I want to clear this up. Frustration and not being affected by a situation are two different things. I'm not necessarily over-frustrated. I don't have a problem with anyone. I'm just not going to let myself be affected by the situation.
The situation is playing time, not being involved in the offense, missing shots, etc.: Nope. It's none of that. I really don't judge my work to a team about on how many shots I make or how many minutes I play or whether a situation is good for me by those standards. It's not those things. I just can't be affected, man. I've got a lot of [stuff] going on in my personal life. I come to do my job as best I can do it, play as hard as I can. I take pride in doing things the right way; trying to do them to help the team win — I want all this on the record — and so that's what I come to do. Anything above and beyond that, I don't really know what anyone wants from me.
Wants to make it work with the Jazz: I mean, look — those aren't my decisions to make. I've been around long enough to know I have no control over that. So, as long as they want me here, I will continue to do my job to the best of my ability like the pro that I am. If they don't want me here, then I will move on to the next team and provide the same services if the opportunity presents itself.
Coming into training camp with a clean slate and the situation not working out during the first six games: I think clean slate for me was more mentally. I got to a place last year where I wasn't enjoying my time with my family. And it was affecting me to where I had to take sleeping pills to sleep at night. And I vowed that that wasn't happening to me this year. It won't. So if people deem that as being — I've got a life to live, man. I've got two little boys, a wife and one on the way. This cannot affect me where I go home and take it out on them. I am 100 percent invested in that mentality.
Not requested a trade and won't: That's not my style. I come to work. As long as they want me on the court, he asks me to a job, I'm going to do that job to the best of my ability. That's the only way I know how to do it.
Willing or wants to meet with Corbin: Listen, I'm the player. I don't make demands. I don't dictate playing time. I don't say who gets the ball. I don't call meetings. If someone wants to speak to me, I'm just here to do my job. I will go speak to them, no problem. I haven't been asked to come in for a meeting and so there's not really a problem. Keep it moving.
Brian T. Smith
Twitter: @tribjazz
