Insulting

Bruce Jennings in his SF Chronicle blog has nothing good to say about the Knicks in analyzing Stephen Jackson's remarks:

So Stephen Jackson wants out of Oakland. There's a story to that effect on the wire this morning, quoting Jackson in Dime Magazine, generally a decent source for NBA gossip. Jackson said he "loved" playing in Don Nelson's system, because "it gave me a chance to show everything I could do on the court. It was great for me, but at this point, I'm 31 years old. I have four or five years left. I want to be in a situation where I can continually be in the playoffs and get another ring [he won one with San Antonio in 2003]. So that's where my mind is at right now."

Jackson didn't want to take it much further than that. "It's not about a decision I made, it's just things are in the air right now. I really can't get too much into it right now."

(Update: On his "Inside the Warriors" blog, Bay Area News Group writer Marcus Thompson II said a club source confirmed Jackson's demand, and that Jackson has hired an agent to help find him a deal.)

I have no doubt Jackson is exasperated with the Warriors' recent malaise, but I'd also bet he gives an entirely different interview the next time around. Jackson speaks from the heart, and he does it honestly, but his opinions often depend on his mood. When Jackson appeared on KNBR a few weeks ago, he sounded excited to get back with Monta Ellis and the rest of his teammates. Now he wants out? Oakland became a safe haven for Jackson when he arrived from Indiana, the place where he resurrected an unsavory reputation. He should take a moment to realize that without Nelson, Baron Davis and the enviable mood surrounding the 2006-07 Warriors, his career might have continued to spiral downhill.

Jackson spoke with the magazine during a visit to New York for a promotional event, and he was hanging out with former Warrior teammate Al Harrington. Later, as Jackson mingled with fans, someone asked him about the Warriors' playoff chances. "I don't think I'll be a Warrior next year," he responded. "I'm looking to leave."

According to the wire report, Jackson said he would welcome a trade to Cleveland, Dallas or Houston, and with Harrington standing by, he also mentioned the New York Knicks. "I'm just looking to go somewhere where I can go and win a championship."

As valuable as Jackson is to the Warriors, his absurd contract ($36 million owed through 2013) is a burden to their salary-cap situation and a testament to unbelievably rockheaded strategy. In these difficult financial times, other teams are looking to acquire expiring contracts (readily dismissed from the books), not anything in Jackson's range. So I'm not sure a trade could be worked out with anyone. Tell you one thing, though: If Jackson wants out, the Warriors should try to accommodate him. We've all seen what a tough-minded player he is, but if you get on his bad side, you're in for a nightmare.

I'm sure Harrington got in Jackson's ear about getting as far away from Nelson as he could. The two of them probably talked about building a championship team in New York, a comically misguided prospect just now. Harrington seems to think he's a lock to survive the summer of 2010, when the Knicks attempt to clear the decks to make room for a high-priced free agent, but he's no favorite of coach Mike D'Antoni. The ugly financial climate, in tandem with a major drop in the salary-cap limit, is likely to restrict the Knicks' flexibility. There's no way they would take on a player with Jackson's contract, and the way their roster stands right now, the big available stars -- LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh -- would be crazy to go there.

All in all, it's just another ugly episode along the road for the Golden State Warriors. Given that Jackson and Ellis are so close, you wonder what Monta's feeling right now. None of it bodes well for the coming season.