Mike James still out as Monaco are forced to adjust against Nanterre
AS Monaco begin their Betclic Elite semi-final against Nanterre without their main man. As expected over the past few days, Mike James is not in the squad for the first game of the series, which takes place this Monday night at Gaston-Medecin.
The Principality club confirmed the news in brief, simply saying the American guard would not take part. It is another absence that extends a situation that has become increasingly ugly between the two sides.
A financial dispute that keeps dragging on
Back in training after serving a three-game ban, Mike James still has not returned to the floor. Already missing from the quarter-final win over JL Bourg, the EuroLeague’s all-time leading scorer is still refusing to play despite being around the group every day.
At the heart of the matter is a financial dispute between the Monaco star and the club. According to several consistent reports, unpaid wages are fuelling the row. AS Monaco’s debt to the 2024 EuroLeague MVP is said to top 900,000 euros, a situation that at this stage rules out any immediate comeback.
At 35, the American appears determined to dig in. Unless talks move quickly, he could stay out for the entire series against Nanterre.
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Monaco’s backcourt under the spotlight
Without Mike James, the Roca Team will once again have to find answers as a unit if they are to keep their title push alive. In the decisive game against JL Bourg, Monaco’s offence delivered in style, with Matthew Strazel and Elie Okobo leading the way — 22 points and 9 assists for the former, 21 points and 11 assists for the latter.
Against Nanterre, Monaco’s guards will again be the focus. Used to the demands of EuroLeague basketball, they will need to shoulder more of the creation and scoring load to make up for the absence of a player who remains one of the team’s driving forces.
In this tense backdrop, Monaco are set for another play-off series as they look to keep moving towards the championship, but nobody knows when, or even if, Mike James will pull on the Roca Team jersey again.
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