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Speaking of Thomas, Oakley did little to hide his feelings about the former team president. “I don’t understand how he even got a job with management,” said Oakley, 47. “He had nothing to do with the Knicks, then he talked bad about the Knicks ... If I see him, he’d better turn around and go the other way.” New York Post

New York Knicks, Isiah Thomas, Charles Oakley 

Teams often have shootarounds one after the other on the same court. That’s not always a good idea. The day of the 1997-98 opener at the Forum, Lakers center Shaquille O’Neal greeted Utah center Greg Ostertag with a slap between shootarounds. Ostertag, who was knocked to the floor, had noted earlier he believed Shaq could be stopped. He wasn’t that time. Three years later, Toronto forward Charles Oakley punched Los Angeles Clippers guard Jeff McInnis between shootarounds. The dispute, which legend has it was over a woman, led to Oakley being suspended for three games without pay and fined $15,000. Later in the 2000-01 season, Oakley was suspended for one game and fined $10,000 for hitting Philadelphia forward Tyrone Hill in the head with a basketball between shootarounds. That apparently was for Hill failing to pay him for a gambling debt. FOXSports Florida

Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Shaquille O'Neal, Los Angeles, Charles Oakley 

Former Knicks forward Charles Oakley claims his celebrity status has nothing to do with him not getting arrested after a poolside brawl at a Las Vegas Strip casino last year. Oakley is suing the Aria hotel-casino and its security guards because he claims the guards beat him last year after he tried to enter a VIP pool area. The MGM Resorts International casino and several of its employees countersued Oakley last month, saying he started the tussle but avoided criminal charges because he’s famous. Oakley’s lawyers countered in a court filing Friday that the retired basketball player didn’t commit a crime. New York Post

Law, Las Vegas, Charles Oakley 

Oakley claims he was at the pool with a group of friends and business associates when he briefly left. As he tried to return to the party, he claims Aria’s security guards stopped him, prompting an argument between Oakley and the hotel staff. Oakley said he consequently left the pool and was returning to his room when he was attacked by at least five security guards in a “gang style beat down,” according to the lawsuit. The complaint contends the officers wrestled Oakley to the ground and punched and handcuffed him, and that he was taken to the hospital with injuries to his neck, back, head and wrist, “all or some of which may be permanent and disabling.” New York Post

Law, Las Vegas, Charles Oakley 

A group of security officers countersued retired NBA "enforcer" Charles Oakley on Monday, charging he has assaulted Las Vegas casino workers at least three times since 2005 – but has repeatedly avoided arrest because of his celebrity VIP status. The officers and the Aria hotel-casino were sued by Oakley on May 12 in Clark County District Court over a 2010 altercation, and on Monday the officers and the casino filed their first response to Oakley's lawsuit. The officers' counterclaim is part of that response. Oakley's suit charged that while visiting Aria on the Las Vegas Strip in May 2010, the former power forward was injured by the officers after a verbal dispute with casino personnel escalated into the officers attacking him without cause. Vegas Inc

Law, Las Vegas, Charles Oakley 

A group of Las Vegas security officers are countersuing Oakley, seeking damages of at least $20,000 for a May 2010 incident — during which Jermaine O’Neal was reportedly present — that they claim was the third of a series of assaults by Oakley on Vegas casino employees since 2005, according to business journal Vegas Inc. Oakley had sued them along with the Aria hotel and casino on May 12, claiming the officers physically attacked him following an argument at the hotel-casino’s Liquid pool. Oakley missed the final 13 games of the season with back problems he claimed stem from this incident, and the Bobcats have since hired assistant coach Rob Werdann as a potential replacement should Oakley not be able to return to the bench next season. Here’s the passage from the Vegas Inc. website that indicates the current starting Celtics center was present when the incident went down: WEEI.com

Law, Jermaine O'Neal, Las Vegas, Charles Oakley 

Monday’s claim says Oakley was at the Liquid pool at Aria with friends including current Boston Celtics player Jermaine O’Neal when Oakley, who had several large alcoholic drinks, became agitated because it was near closing time and “he and his friends were not allowed to invite additional females into the pool.” WEEI.com

Law, Jermaine O'Neal, Las Vegas, Charles Oakley 

Silas said assistant coach Charles Oakley has had one operation to address the back pain he's suffered in recent months and will have another procedure this month. It's still undetermined whether Oakley will recover enough to resume coaching responsibilities. The Bobcats added another coach, Rob Werdann, who could oversee big men, as Oakley has. Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Coaching, Charles Oakley 

The Bobcats added an assistant coach for next season on Tuesday amid concerns Charles Oakley won’t be able to return to the bench because of health issues. Coach Paul Silas announced former Golden State assistant Rob Werdann will join his staff. The former St. John’s big man who played briefly in the NBA has also been an assistant in New Orleans. “I was told they were going to add a coach and I jumped at the chance,” Werdann said. New York Post

Charlotte Bobcats, Golden State Warriors, New Orleans Hornets, Paul Silas, Charles Oakley 

The Charlotte Bobcats added an assistant coach for next season on Tuesday amid concerns Charles Oakley won't be able to return to the bench because of health issues. Coach Paul Silas announced former Golden State assistant Rob Werdann will join his staff. The former St. John's big man who played briefly in the NBA has also been an assistant in New Orleans. "I was told they were going to add a coach and I jumped at the chance," Werdann said. ESPN.com

Charlotte Bobcats, Coaching, Charles Oakley, Rob Wedann 

Charlotte Bobcats assistant coach Charles Oakley isn't sure he'll be able to return to his job because of a painful back condition he says was caused during an assault last year in Las Vegas. Oakley has sued the Aria hotel-casino, claiming he was beaten by security guards in May 2010. Oakley said Saturday that two slipped disks from the incident led to a painful sciatic nerve condition that forced him to miss the Bobcats' final 13 games. He's still having trouble walking. CBSSports.com

Charlotte Bobcats, Coaching, Charles Oakley 

Silas said assistant coach Charles Oakley's back spasms have not subsided. That could cause Oakley to need back surgery, Silas said, and it's uncertain at this point whether Oakley can return as an assistant coach. Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Coaching, Charles Oakley 

Charles Oakley, one of the NBA's all-time tough guys and now a Charlotte Bobcats assistant, has sued a Las Vegas resort over what he calls a May 2010 "gang-style beatdown" by security guards that injured him. The Las Vegas Sun reports Oakley filed the lawsuit Thursday in Clark County District Court against the Aria hotel-casino at MGM Resorts International's CityCenter complex and five security officers. San Antonio Express-News

Law, Charles Oakley 

Charles Oakley: Now...about Lakers! 1 of my fav parts was Phil hitting Pau in the chest. Phil is pissed at the BS. Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Pau Gasol, Phil Jackson, Charles Oakley 

Charles Oakley: Don't get me wrong. I like Pau & he is a good players. Everybody can get in a slump but Mavs r doing it. Gotta give them respect. Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Pau Gasol, Phil Jackson, Charles Oakley 

Charles Oakley, one of the NBA's all-time tough guys, doesn't want to talk about his excruciating back pain. "I'm good," the Charlotte Bobcats assistant said recently before brushing off further questions. Yet one quick look at Oakley shows he's not. He hasn't returned to the bench since having to be carried from the court before a game in San Antonio last month with a sciatic nerve problem that's made it difficult to walk. "He's not doing too good right now," Bobcats coach Paul Silas said Thursday. Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Charlotte Bobcats, Coaching, Paul Silas, Charles Oakley 

The 47-year-old Oakley is the latest example of an NBA coach walking the fine line of teaching from the sidelines and hands-on instruction. There's plenty of other harsh examples, ranging from Patrick Ewing's broken foot to Nate McMillan's ruptured Achilles' tendon to the sight of Bobcats owner Michael Jordan icing both knees after practicing with his team. "It catches up with you. I've been through that. You forget," said Golden State coach Keith Smart, who when he was an assistant regularly banged with players. "It gets to the point where your body tells you that can't do it anymore but your mind tells you that you can. So you start having the pains players are having, but you're older." Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Charlotte Bobcats, Coaching, Paul Silas, Charles Oakley 

Charles Oakley , the NBA 's toughest assistant coach, has been troubled by a back injury that caused him to miss the last three games, including last night's game against the Knicks . Oakley, 47, who joined the Charlotte staff when Paul Silas took over for Larry Brown on Dec. 22, suffered the injury -- a sciatic nerve irritation -- while working out his team's big men before the March 19 game in San Antonio . Newsday

Charlotte Bobcats, Injuries, Charles Oakley 

"It's important because not too many coaches do that," Silas said. "Players have all the power and I think they're kind of afraid to confront them and make them adhere to the principles that you're putting out there. Oak, in no uncertain terms, lets them know. "He's had it out with a few guys here," Silas added. "He gains their respect, and that's what's most important." Newsday

Charlotte Bobcats, Injuries, Charles Oakley 

A few minutes after going into the Bobcats’ locker room Jordan emerges to shake my hand as I stand in the hallway talking to Charles Oakley, another of Jordan’s longtime friends and former teammates who is a Bobcats assistant coach. “He’s a good guy,” Oakley is saying as MJ steps up behind him. Jordan smiles and tells me that if Oakley can just get 10 rebounds a night, then he’ll come back to the game and score big. “If he can get 10, I can get 20,” he says gamely. He’s kidding, of course. If only if were that easy. No, Jordan well knows he’s facing a long, narrow path to success, one where respect is won one step at a time. HoopsHype

Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Jordan, Charles Oakley