Have you guys been reading what has recently been reported by the Toronto Star?

The Toronto Star is reporting on Rafer Alston because Alston used to play for Sam Mitchell in Toronto ... where he earned himself a reputation as being very difficult to coach and prone to wild temper tantrums.

According to the Toronto Star, Alston once threw a fit for being pulled from a game while playing for Sam Mitchell in Toronto, and stormed off the court to the team bus... crying.

This is supposedly a grown man, a "professional" who has made at least $18,751,489 in 9 years playing a game most of us are happy to play for free.

Alston is now in the press for saying that his "friends" were "ready to fly in and wring (Van Gundy's) neck."

Not only is that incredibly stupid judgment to say such things to the press, but it could be considered by law enforcement to be a veiled threat on Van Gundy's life, particularly if Van Gundy were to fall victim to any kind of an attack. 

Why would a TEAM PLAYER air anything remotely like that out in public? 

This is just inconceivable to me; it's off my radar!

Alston also said that he would not show up to a meeting with coach Van Gundy if asked to.

"I'm not good at having a one-on-one meeting, because then I might blow up. He might tell me something that might not make any sense to me, and I may not like that," Alston said.

This guy is SERIOUSLY messed up.

Ah, poor Rafie might hear something that doesn't make sense to him... like teamwork maybe?

It is no wonder Stan Van Gundy is reluctant to put his team in the hands of such a mentally unstable person at such a critical time! I would be begging Magic ownership to trade Alston for someone more useful... like Smush Parker or Paris Hilton!

Time to bring Anthony Johnson into the rotation, Stan. Seriously.