Stephen Jackson should just not speak and take the loss on this one, because making statements like this can only hinder him from moving forward and finding employment elsewhere.
Unfortunately for Jackson and the San Antonio Spurs, his second stint with the organization, didn’t go as well as the first. Jackson was released by the team right before the playoffs began because he had become sort of a damaged part in the well-run machine that is Spurs.
And according to a story courtesy Pro Basketball Talk, Jackson said that his departure came down to the fact that him and head coach Greg Popovich disagreed on role designation.
“We had a disagreement,” Stephen told Sister 2 Sister about his most recent coach Gregg Popovich. “He wanted me to agree to players being better than me, and I didn’t agree. I’ve been in the NBA a long time, so it’s just something I didn’t agree with and something I have no control over. He’s the coach. He controls who plays, and he controls the team, which I do respect. At the same time, I know what I can do and what I been doing my whole career, and I’m far from ready to hang it up. So, I can’t let one person tell me where I’m at 35-years-old. To me, it just didn’t make no sense…
“I don’t want to be a guy who’s just sitting on the bench stealing money,” he said.
Jackson was in favor of being traded at the deadline but it didn’t come to fruition after his displeasure with his role became public.
“It was talked about before the all-star break, before the trade deadline…about me not wanting to be here and me going to other teams, but they wouldn’t do it then,” Stephen explained. “If they would have done it then, I would be on another team right now.”
Popovich is one of the great coaches in the history of the game and is revered by his peers and fans. Jackson on the other hand has a checkered past that is intertwined with some productive seasons. This is battle he won’t win, taking the high road will be the best course of action for him.