Report: Cavs Want Stephen Jackson
In Golden State, Stephen Jackson is no longer the captain, and at this point, is virtually persona non-grata in that town. Which, according to the latest rumor, is perfectly fine with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
If the Warriors don’t want Jackson anymore — which they very much don’t; feelings between the two parties being mutual, of course — the Cavs would love to take him off their hands. He is a problem Cleveland’s front-office is more than willing to tolerate.
From the Plain Dealer:
You have not heard the last of the Stephen Jackson trade rumors involving the Cavs. According to sources, the Cavs do have an interest in Jackson and have had some internal discussions about trading for him.
With strong team leaders and Mike Brown, who is close to Jackson and coached him in two different stops, there is a belief the Cavs could harness his good qualities and suppress his bad ones that he’s been showing in an effort to get out of Golden State.
Assuming he was happy with the potential trade, Jackson would provide Cleveland with something they desperatedly need: a perimeter presence more than willing and able to take the pressure off LeBron.
For Danny Ferry and the Cavs’ front-office, on many levels, this is a gamble that may be worth taking. The question now is how much they’ll be willing to give up.
Not too surprisingly, the latest out of the Warriors’ camp is that Stephen has suddenly found it in his heart to play the role of good soldier. Gee, I wonder if the possibility that he might not be there for very much longer had anything to do with Jackson’s new outlook on life?
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If they get Stack Jack, with Bron and Shaq, it’s going to be nasty in the East this year. Three elite teams battling all year long.
Either sports is a business, or it’s not. From what I’ve seen in America, there is no loyalty in business. Your job will fire you, or demote you, or do whatever anytime they damn well feel like it.
Teams do whatever the hell they want, when they want to do it. They trade players who have deep roots in the community, they trade players who have been injured trying to help the team. Hell, they force veterans to ride the pine in order to pay inferior younger players because it’s what’s best for the team’s future.
If I was star player I’d do what would make me happy. I’d get paid, and I’d request that the team improve or trade me. Why should I play good soldier? So I can be like Kevin Garnett and have the same media that tells other players to be good soldiers question my commitment to winning because I never complained? Or point to my large contract as the reason why my team can’t compete, when that’s an obvious fallacy?
Nah, I’m burning bridges and looking out for me. Every team in the league looks out for themselves, so why shouldn’t the players? They are just employees, and an employee who forgets he is an employee is stupid.
for Zydrunas Ilgauskas ($11,541,074) Stephen Jackson ($7,650,000) and Speedy Claxton ($5,209,454)
for Zydrunas Ilgauskas ($11,541,074)
So, you would feel loyalty to a job that could force you to uproot your family at the drop of dime just because they paid you a lot of money?
How about the job you have now? Do you feel loyalty to the corporation? Do you feel like you should sacrifice what’s best for you and your happiness just to benefit the organization?
I don’t understand why people expect NBA players to think any differently than venture capitalists? Or CEOs? Or anybody who gets paid an absurd amount of money. Do people expect Donald Trump to be loyal? How about Alex Baldwin and Tracy Morgan? Do they owe something to NBC because they get to work on 30 Rock? Should they be grateful and be good soliders if the quality of the writing sucks and they start to look stupid?
The problem is that for some reason people have been trained to expect loyalty from players. They’ve also been trained to cheer for corporations that turn a tidy profit whether they underperform or excel. It’s a weird situation.
Like I said earlier, if you’re an employee and you ever forget that you’re an employee, than you’re stupid.
Touche on Duncan.
Duncan is an anomaly. His organization is an anomaly.
Reminds me of J.R. Smith. Big babies trying to act tough because they have “swagger” during a good game. Some of these guys need an eye opener.
Anyways enough of the rant.
Huge upgrade if the Cavs get him. Depending what they give up.
So, you’re argument is that if you choose not to complain about a situation, nobody else is allowed to complain?
Or, your argument is that only people who make 40gs a year get a chance to complain?
Is your attitude the one common among military personnel and their families? Because, in my dealings with military folks who have had to do several deployments, or who have had trouble navigating the VA, they have no problem complaining when they feel wronged.
Complaining doesn’t make you a whiner, it makes you unhappy.
The prevailing opinion appears to be that if you make millions of dollars and you play sports you don’t get to complain. Period.
Well, unless we agree with you, then you get to complain.
Like I said from the jump, Rubio made a business decision that would benefit he and his family.
Attempting to pretend it was anything but that is lame.
I have no problem with Rubio making a business decision. Just like I had no problem with Brandon Jennings making a business decision.
The NBA and NCAA are not looking out for players. They are looking out for the NBA and the NCAA. Players are disposable commodities. No player is bigger than the league in the opinion of league officials.
So, if I was a player I would always remember that. I would always remember that I am a cog in the system, and it makes since for me to be worried about my well being as a cog, not worried about the well-being of the system.
That doesn’t mean I’m lazy, doesn’t mean I don’t do my job. It means that I make my business decisions the same way the company makes its business decisions. Based on what’s best for me.
It’s really funny to me that y’all don’t see it this way. I mean, have y’all not noticed how easily companies make “business decisions” that ruin people’s lives? Why would you be loyal to a corporation?
Why would you say that about Jackson?
Are you unaware of the charity work he’s done in his hometown of Port Arthur, Texas? Did you know he was a gang member as a child and has worked and given money to programs designed to aid young people in the same situation?
That was a crazy analogy you used, and I’m curious how you stumbled upon it.
And I wonder if you made the same points about Kobe when he was asking for a trade a few years ago?
James: The two situations are completely different, you are being paid to be an unquestioning servant of the state, the other guy is being payed to play basketball.
A grown ass man. Who is in the top 5 percent of North America for income. And he complains about what? And you want to talk about it’s a business. Play with pride until you get traded. And if you have to uproot your family, realize that yeah it sucks. But you can sleep on your king size bed, with your 8 bedrooms 9 bathrooms, and 6 cars surrounding you. He isn’t getting uprooted and making less then 100 grand a year with minimal beneffits and an hour commute in traffic, while not being able to go to the gym or have off time because you work 12 hour days. NO… you are complaining about making millions in a business, that is what you love to do. he gets a promotion “captain”. And complains. He goes up against the best businesses in his job “kobe”, and loses but cant be fired nor lose money. And yet this man complains. He is acting like a stuck up c()nt. Grow a set, suck it up buttercup. I do not feel bad for guys like SJax who feel the world owes him the sun even when he is in the shade. Complaining is one thing. Crying like a b1tch and making a bad situation worse, is a different situation. I am not a fan anymore.
All I am saying is that it’s bullsh!t for him to act like a baby. Play your hardest and stop whining. It’s a business. But at least show some heart. Try and be a leader, or a veteran like you ARE.
If I was his boss lol, I would keep him where he was. He can only go so long crying, until he wants to play ball again.
Z: In my defence, I think Kobe should be considered an extraordinary circumstance.
I know what you meant, but in the great North you never hear “working for the state” lol.
What you are saying is that because Jackson makes what to you is an absurd amount of money, he has forfeited certain rights.
He makes millions, he can’t complain.
I say that’s crap. He can complain. He can complain all the damn time. I don’t have to agree with him, but I’m not going to tell him to shut up either.
Golden State made business decisions to lock up certain players and let other players walk because they wanted to keep making as much money as possible. Period.
Stephen Jackson has realized that, and is now upset because he was told their was a committment to winning. There is not. There is a commmittment to making a profit.
The thing is, people get upset with players for wanting to make as much money as possible while working under optimum working conditions, but they seem to give organizations a pass for DOING THE EXACT SAME THING!
Like the Lakers. They didn’t dump Shaq because Kobe wanted him gone. They dumped Shaq because he wanted another $100 million extension and the team figured he wasn’t worth it. Didn’t matter that Shaq had just made Jerry Buss tons of money while returning to Lakers to prominence as an organization. Nope, the Lakers made a business decision.
See how that works?
One of the main things they lacked was a backup point guard for Steve Nash. They had several first round draft choices that they could have turned into backups, one of which they could have turned into Rajon Rondo.
But, Suns owner Robert Sarver didn’t want to pay the luxury tax because that would have reduced his profits. So, despite the fact that he’s getting a slice of the league profits, despite the fact that his team is selling out games left and right, despite the fact that he has lucrative marketing deals with local organizations, Sarver orders the draft choiced traded away in order to increase his profits.
Business decision.
I can go down the entire damn league and point to business decisions. Even the Spurs have made “business decisionss.” Every team in the league makes “business decisions” and it’s an accepted operating procedure. When players make them, they are greedy bastards.
Y’all are simple.
@Allen. I am not saying he is giving up the right to complain. But the way he is doing it. If I was making millions to play ball. I am hoping that I still keep the qualities my mother instilled in me to do the best I can. Work hard. And be happy. Jax may not have that in him. But we have seen from his past he is very loyal. Why try and screw GSW and be a d1ck. If they were trading him to the Kings, for less money, his family can’t live in Sacramento with him and he ws going to be back up, back up SG. Then I could see him complaining the way he is (maybe). We don’t live in a society of an eye for an eye. I would like to think some people have more dignity.
We’re not talking about compromising our principles as a man. I never said Jackson should dog it.
Jackson had a public blow up with his coach when he felt the refs were treating him unfairly and his coach did not play his proper role in defending him.
Prior to that, what exactly did he do besides ask for a trade?
Seriously, what did he do?
People have a problem with him asking for a trade. That’s the bottom line. They figure he got his money, he was lucky to get that money, so now he should just shut up and be happy.
That’s crap to me. Nobody applies these same rules to everybody else in our society who makes millions of dollars. Because, contrary to popular belief, WAY more people besides ball players get paid ludicrous contracts.
There is a mindset in this country when it comes to professional athletes that is problematic. We all understand that they get paid according to their skill level and the dearth of people able to do their jobs. Yet, we still have a problem with treating them like other similarly skilled employees.
Man up. Curry before he even plays a game in the NBA is seeing the Captain of the team act like a child.
BUTTTTT about JAXXXX. He is acting like a baby. Why the hell is everyone else in the league not asking to be traded then? Everyone is trying to win a championship lol. If Jax though there were close … and now they are not close. He is retarted. Give GSW Chris Paul, and a solid Center and they are 6th in the West. Why isn’t Kevin Martin demanding a trade? KD? Jamison? Nash? How come Amare isn’t making scenes like this? The Suns have basically went from top to bottom. And Amare talks about wnating to be traded. But still working his a&& off.
I’ve heard him say numerous times his primary concern is taking care of his family, which in basketball speak means getting as much money as possible over the course of a very short career in relative terms.
After he gets his money, he would like to win.
This is pretty much standard procedure for every athlete. I can only think of a handful who have turned down enormous contracts “to win.” Hell, Steve Nash is considered the consumate professional and teammate and he left a Dallas team on the cusp of the Finals for “money.” Nobody accused of him making money his primary concern over winning, they accepted that he wanted to win and get paid.
Athletes are employees. Like all employees they want to make as much money as possible in the best possible working conditions.
Right, he got his money, now he’s worried about winning. Russ appears to be saying that because Jackson positioned himself to make as much money as possible, his primary concern is not winning.
I agree. His first concern, like most athlete’s first concern, is making as much money as possible during their career. Then they worry about winning.
Some players, like say Tim Duncan and even Gilber Arenas, have turned down millions to help their team, but typically those cats are still getting massive contracts. Both Arenas and Duncan still signed $90 million contracts when they took a “reduction” in pay.
Jackson bounced around Europe before finally sticking the league. I’m sure his primary concern is making enough money to take care of his immediate and extended family for generations. His secondary concern is winning a ring while doing it. Or at least being competitive.
At least someone sees what I see.
cash and possibly a pick but at this point they
gotta get Jackson out of there he is doing whatever
possible to poison the team to leave. he is good in situations when he is happy though.
Sincerely,
The Warriors
It’s a business, sure, and the Owners do for themselves just like the players should. But it is unfair to the people who have supported this team with their hard earned money, paying more and more every year for tickets, and give their love and support to all the players.
It is Bullcrap, and he has to get traded now becasue of all this sh*t. He needs to give the fans an apology for his actions, because all we did was support him and give him the opportunity to play basketball for a living-the BEST DAMN job in the world. Stop your bitching, ask for a trade to ownership if you really feel like yo need out, but don’t do it the way you did, alienating yourself and making it almost impossible to trade you. That is stupid, classless, greedy, immature, lazy, unprofessional, and generally garbage in every way.
Mr. Jackson, you used to be my Hero. You are dead to me now.
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