<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> He met their bosses, dined with their coaches and waited for an invitation that didn't come. The Indiana Pacers had no room on their payroll for Stephen Jackson a year ago, and he wound up signing an undervalued contract with Atlanta. He hopes the timing -- and money -- is better this year. "That's a situation I'd love to be in," Jackson said. "That team is already a dominant team. I'd just be another piece that helps them get where they want to go." Despite the apparent availability of a few premier players around the NBA, any trades or free agent acquisitions the Pacers make this month more likely will involve the likes of Jackson: players who address needs, improve the team and are realistically available without gutting the roster. </div> <div align="center"><u>Full Story</u></div>
It's looking at guys like Jackson that make trotting a 39 year old out there every night seem reasonable... I'll be honest. I don't know what Jackson's numbers were when the won the title in SA. I don't know what his numbers were with the Hawks, either. But having watched him play, I can say with some certainty, that he's not even remotely what a disciplined team like Indiana needs. He's offensively wild, in a similar way that Artest gets when he isn't feeling it. He has poor shot selection, is very streaky, and has been deemed difficult to coach in the past. If you get a solid, smart, but unremarkable player to start at SG, the offensive sets will run just fine. An off-balance, constantly high-strung guy like Jackson won't benefit from it.
I have NO problem with signing Jackson......I saw him in the Finals and there he was great....but if it's true that Casske is saying.....we are not talking about the same player, cuz I talk about a guy that's got hunger for ball, was a big key in the Finals, Carried the Hawks..........that's that guy, is 1# on the INDY free agent list, so he can't be that bad Cosske cuz then the coach and others wouldn't have interest in him.
Stephen Jackson has proved to be successful in the Spurs disciplined system so I don't see why he can't fit with the Pacers. I think the Pacers need someone with the attitude of Jackson to attack on offense. He's also a great spot up shooter who can make defences honest by driving to the basket. Stephen Jackson is not my first choice for the Pacers (I would rather have Barry) but he is not a bad player at all.
Yeeah, and I would rather have ray allen, but the Pacers can't afford havin barry, and the smart thing is that the pacers doesn't need to give away any player for Jackson cuz he don't cost as much.
