Metta World Peace -- I GOT A NEW TEAM ... A Bunch of Tiny White Guys!

Metta World Peace isn't letting unemployment stop him from dominating the basketball courts ... of West Los Angeles.

Just days after Metta was released by the Knicks, Peace surfaced at Equinox Gym in L.A. on March 1st -- hooping with some not-quite-pro level competition.

Check out the video ... you can see Metta's teammates aren't exactly throwing the rock his way -- and we're told it's because his shot was straight up broke that day. Hey, it happens.

But there's this -- everyone we spoke to said Metta couldn't have been nicer -- and took time to shake hands and talk with people afterward.