Now Stephen Jackson wants out. That’s right, Jackson doesn’t want to be a Warrior anymore, because they (gasp) aren’t championship contenders. Even though the Warriors gave Jackson an obscenely massive and completely unnecessary extension and allow him to shoot threes whenever and wherever he likes, Jackson wants to go to Cleveland, some team in Texas or the Knicks.
(Cue the sound of a record abruptly stopping)
The Knicks? A contending team? Oh-kaayyyyy…
Yes, Jackson was hanging out at Protege party in New York with Al Harrington (which may explain how the Knicks suddenly became a winning team in Jackson’s eyes), and told Dime Magazine he wants out. Marcus Thompson confirms this. This is what happens when you run your team in a moronic fashion — players talk to each other and decide to do anything they can to plunge your franchise even further into the abyss. And what better way to do that than publicly demand a trade, thereby removing what little trade value you and your nonsensical contract had in the first place.
When the going gets tough, Jackson gets peer-pressured by Harrington into declaring he’d rather be a role player on a team with superstars than the leader of the young Warriors. And while the comments don’t reveal strong character, they show that Jackson isn’t as delusional about his own standing in the league as he is whenever a referee declares he fouled someone.
Jackson isn’t an alpha dog, and this public trade demand proves he knows this as well as the rest of us. He’s also 31, and coming off an injury-plagued season. The thought of going all out in a push to drive the Warriors to a .500 record while playing 44 mpg sounds about as tempting to Jackson as a kick in the nuts from Paul Millsap.
Robert Rowell probably feels like he just got his bells rung, after giving Chris Mullin the stiff arm at the beginning of last season and extending Jackson for some unknown reason (Jackson’s work with charities? Simply to f— with Mullin? Really, does anyone have any idea?). Now R-squared and Larry Riley Don Nelson either have to convince Jackson that he won’t have to play more minutes than Allen Iverson did as a Sixer, or prepare to work out a trade with a contending team (or the Knicks) for another flawed player with the same type of crippling contract Jackson has.
Sound familiar? Al Harrington for Jamal Crawford, anyone? Jamal Crawford for a steaming pile of Hawks point guards?
If I ran the Warriors, I’d do all I could to make sure whomever the Warriors get for Jackson (assuming they grant Jackson’s wish and trade him soon) is at least five years younger than Stack. Then I get a young coach, and prepare for another two or three years (or more) of patience. No established star wants to be a Warrior. Hell, no established role player wants to be a Warrior, as Jackson’s interview yesterday proved. The Warriors won’t be a contender for at least a few years, with or without Jackson (as he himself stated).
Golden State’s only strength is a young nucleus that could be something. Monta Ellis, Andris Biedrins, Ant Randolph, Stephen Curry, Brandan Wright, Anthony Morrow, Ronny Turiaf — they’re all young and worth keeping. Maybe grab a young player with upside who’s been a relative disappointment relative to his contract, put him with that nucleus and see what a coach under 50 (perhaps someone who, I don’t know, actually has some energy and doesn’t hold grudges to the extent Nellie clearly does), and see what happens.
But we all know what the Warriors are going to do: convince Jackson to stay (mostly because the teams he wants to go to either would be impossible to consummate a trade with for anybody, let alone a youngish player with talent), then trade him mid-season for another veteran headcase. Lather, rinse, repeat. It only gets worse for the Warriors by the month, it seems. How much longer until the majority of this loyal fanbase washes its hands of this team?
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I just think back to how I cringed when I first heard about Jackson’s extension – I think probably 95% of basketball fans had the same reaction, how could the Warriors make such a bad decision? And then Jack was talking about wanting to be traded how many months later? (which he would later take back.. probably he’ll do something similar this time after someone talks some sense into him). Still, the Warriors have treated Jack like a star, and deserve better. What a punk!
Jack’s been known to speak his mind, but this was really stupid.
He WAS at a block party…perhaps alcohol was involved?
[...] That’s the rumor supplied by DallasBasketball.com and analyzed by Fanhouse. Nellie has reportedly been in talks with the Mavs about something … and Jackson sure is something … of a petulant child for turning his back on the forgiving Dubs. [...]
Nellie has boosted Jackson’s value more than any coash has individually affected another player’s value. I think every basketball player, fan, and coach in the leagues knows that there is no way in hell Jackson is a number one or even two option in the league. What other coach would give Jackson the green light to do whatever he wants? AAnd after the Indiana debaucle, no one wanted to touch Jackson. I think there is a conspiracy here yet to be covered. ellie has to have a kick back clause with Jackson right? Lifetime supply of Scotch?
Let’s fact it, Captain Jack has never been the same every since he revamped his grill.
All this reminds me of last season when Jackson told everyone how Baron Davis wanted to be traded back to the Warriors. So idiotic public comments are nothing new with this guy.
Here’s the scouting report on Stack:
Strengths: Size, passing, defense when he cares, unafraid to take big shots
Most improve: ballhandling in traffic, shot selection, sanity
Remember that Rowell and Riley have 3 years to get to the playoffs or they will be fired. They stated something to that effect in one of their conferences.
Personally I think that Rowell should have been long gone years ago. Still, flirting with the playoffs once should not be enough for them to be safe. If they only just make it in the 3rd year then there has to be a VERY convincing case that the 2012 season will result in a deep playoff appearance.
I hope Cohan seriously considers firing Rowell after he negotiated this contract directly.
Cohan probably thinks Stephen Jackson and Stephen Curry are the same person.
Rowell’s safe; his job performance is judged completely on profit margin.
Hey BASG, you are an idiot!
Thanks for reading!