Hi, I’m Stephen Jackson: You Are?

Stephen Jackson got what he wanted essentially and was recently let go by the Golden State Warriors and traded to the Charlotte Bobcats. Good for him and good for the Warriors, letting go their often disgruntled forward. If we take a look back at Jackson when he was actually good, he did produce and helped the Warriors in their playoff run when Baron Davis was orchestrating the flow. When Jackson first entered the league, he was a member of the New Jersey Nets in 2000. He then was shipped to the Spurs for a two year stint, Atlanta for one and Indiana for two. Golden State then entered the mix as I mentioned, where he has spent the last three seasons.
Coach Don Nelson and Jackson became pretty taught with each other during the past year and a half and that really had an impact on the trade to Charlotte. Why does Jackson have the attitude of a god’s gift to the world type of person? Hear me out on this one Mr. Jackson, you just aren’t that good. Watching the Bobcats in action last night was not a breath of fresh air or a happy moment in my life. You would think that getting a player in a trade that can supposedly shoot the ball very efficient and be tough on the court at the same time would spark interest. Nope. Stephen Jackson does not have it anymore.
The trade to Charlotte was merely a move to keep him happy while he still makes a comfortable living. Face it, the guy will not win anything nor make it close to a playoff run in his career again. The Bobcats fit Jackson perfectly if anyone wants to know. Their lackluster offense with forced shots and non-rhythmic flow are Jackson’s favorite. Whenever Jackson can get his in the offense, he is happy. Last night for example he put on a display for 26 points, but shot 21 times. The next closest shot attempt was 11!
With this in mind, what happens next for the Bobcats? Gerald Wallace has been the prime offensive weapon, averaging 16 points per night and making that a franchise best. Tyson Chandler is a big guy down low who is athletic enough to score. D.J. Augustine and Raymond Felton both like to shoot the rock in the offense. Put that all on hold because the unhappy, me type of player is in town. Jackson shot over double teams and forced the issue countless times last night. Just by watching the game, it was clear he needs to get his stats.
Actually this is pretty sad for a player who was able to thrive in the Warriors’ offense with Davis and Monta Ellis playing at a fast pace. The confusing part of this scenario is that Jackson left the Warriors who possess the athletic talents of Ellis, Kelena Azubiuke, Corey Maggette and the highly touted shooter in Stephen Curry. Seems like a fit to me. Just remember that as much as a fan you are and follower of a player or team, this is a business. Players whine, bicker and stomp their feet when they don’t get their way. Jackson did that and look what happened. A trade. Now you can watch the Bobcats struggle to win games and Jackson’s face repeatedly scrunch in frustration.
What is Larry Brown to expect from his team now? Give the ball to Jackson and let him go to work. That’s what you can expect because if that doesn’t happen, Mr. Jackson will make the front page again for wanting another trade until he gets what he wants. Listen, Jackson has been a double digit point scorer eleven out of the thirteen seasons he’s taken the floor. I don’t shun that stat out the door. He did win a title in San Antonio in the 2002-2003 season. He also was surrounded by a plethora of talent in Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker and the Admiral himself, David Robinson. The Indiana Pacer incident in Detroit stemmed from his time with their organization when he entered the stands with Ron Artest to take on some fans. Jackson has been notorious for his countless run ins with referees that lead to technical fouls.
The final verdict here is that the guy just doesn’t have what it takes. He’s a shoot first, no defense kind of guy who needs to get his. Have fun Charlotte and I bid you all the luck in the world. Hopefully the team can find their cohesive niche. In the meantime, Mr. Jackson, I hope you enjoy playing for a losing franchise and getting yours.
SJ Dir of Marketing/Contributing Author, blogger




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