Jonathan Bender is back in the NBA after missing 3 full seasons and having only played 2 games in his “final” 2005-06 season. He is playing inspired basketball and the New York Knicks have gone 2-0 since.

Bender dropped in 11 points in 14:42 against Charlotte Sunday night. He has been tenacious giving New York vital depth in the post they have been missing.

Bender might not post All Star numbers, but he is becoming the catalyst to the Knicks second unit. With lost cause Eddy Curry wasting away like a 7 foot 300 plus pound tumbleweed, signing Bender has paid dividends massively in the early going of his comeback.

After a 3-year absence, Bender is back. (Credit: picapp.com)

Bender is a player who has gained playoff experience during his Indiana Pacers years. The Pacers teams he played for were tough. You do not play alongside the likes of Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson without growing tougher. It appears he is bringing some of this mindset to the Knicks, who can only benefit dramatically by growing tougher mentally.

Ex-Teammates Stephen Jackson and Ron Artest are both in disbelief that he would ever return:

“The fact that he’s back is amazing, it’s really amazing. When he left Indiana, I thought he was done. I never thought he’d be able to come back.” Ron Artest

“I’m like Ron, I never thought he’d be back, either. It’s unbelievable to see him out there.” Stephen Jackson

Of course folks will speculate about how long Bender can play before his right knee gives out again. After missing three full years of NBA action while only playing 237 games over 7 seasons, it makes sense to have doubts about the longevity of his comeback.

However, this comeback after being away from NBA caliber basketball for over 3 years is simply a mind bender. Even more mind bending is the prospect of the Knicks turning their season around and making their way into the playoffs. At 10-17, it is not inconceivable that they can do so.

It was announced today Stephen Jackson and Acie Law were traded today to the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for Raja Bell and Vladamir Radmanovic. The Warriors win with Bell’s expiring contract and Radmanovic with 2 years remaining. Combinded, that is still 1 year less than Jackson’s deal.

Applause to the Warriors brass! (Credit: picapp.com)

Jackson gets his wish, and bolts on the franchise who embraced him and provided him financial security. Ironically Jackson lands himself with the Bobcats after requesting to go to a team where he has a chance to win a NBA Championship. That is not going to happen in Charlotte. The Warriors have their first chance to explore how they their young core can gel without Jackson the distraction inflicting himself upon them.

Sure Jackson plays at a high level but without the errant shots and erratic play in the lineup, the Warriors are better off. Here is what the Warriors gain:

• There will be no more distractions detrimental to the Warriors by the emotional former captain.
• Don Nelson gains outside shooting in Radmanovic. Bell can drain, but he will not play for the Warriors.
• The Warriors can trade Bell to a contender looking for a defender.
• Radmanovic can help the slashing play of Monta Ellis by spreading defenses.
• With Radmanovic,  Anthony Morrow, and Stephen Curry the Warriors arguably possess the best lot of long range bombers on one roster in the NBA.

The best component of this deal, other than liquidating the long term liability of Jackson’s attitude/contract, is Raja Bell. He is tough, will play through injuries, and his defense is top notch. Too bad he is never going to play for Golden State. He will likely be traded before February.

Warriors will learn defense from Bell. (Credit: picapp.com)

All I can say is good luck Charlotte, be ready for the Stephen Jackson era to begin. Right when he gets your hopes up, he will either do something ridiculously stupid, or something entirely brilliant. Problem is, you never know which player will show up.

And, if you don’t win the Championship, expect him to begin grumblings’ about a trade.

Update: due to a reader misconstruing the real meaning of this post, we updated the picture to clarify things so even a kindergartner can understand.

Disclaimer: All images, likenesses, are done for fun, and are not to be taken literally, and are in no shape form or fashion meant to be insulting to any belief, religion, or anything in between.

Stephen Jackson of the Golden State Warriors cannot keep his mouth shut.

Apparently he needed to rekindle the media dumpster fire between him and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakersby threatening him indirectly with  the following  comments:

“I’m going to be me, but I guarantee I won’t feed into the nonsense,” Jackson said Monday. “If it came down to a real fight, I know what would happen. I’m just going to leave that alone, go out and play basketball and try to help my team win.”

Lets take a look at this realistically.

We already disproved Jackson’s claim that he was in fact Kobe’s equal on the court.  Does anyone realistically believe he could beat Kobe Bryant in a fight without firearms?

The tale of the tape has Kobe weighing in two pounds heavier than Jackson, but giving up 2 inches in height.

If Jackson is promising to be mellow tonight, he must be planning to brawl Bryant using Taosim as his weapon of choice:

Stephen Jackson will need to channel a higher power to be as good as Kobe.

Taoist propriety and ethics emphasize the Three Jewels of the Tao: compassion, moderation, and humility.

It would take a miracle, perhaps one by Saint Kobe Bryant, for Jackson  to actually bend his will and behavior to fit into that mold.

Good luck tonight Stephen Jackson, you are the Warriors (of Taoism) are going to need it.

Updated: Due to reader requests, the Saint Kobe image was amended to display his 4 rings, further reinforcing our article.

“I’m not a fan of Kobe. I’m not somebody who looks up to him. I’m a grown man myself. So when I go out there and play the game, I play the game. I feel like I’m just as good as him. I might not get the publicity or notoriety he gets, but I feel like I can play with anybody in the NBA any given night.”

Those are not my words, but those of disgruntled Golden State Warrior Stephen Jackson.  The saga continues with more berating of his teammates, and the one line that people will never let him play down for the rest of his career: “I feel I am just as good as him.”

Expect to see fans with signs in arenas league-wide, heckling Jackson about his recent statements about Kobe Bryant.

These comments, in my opinion, makes Kobe look like a saint.

Just when you start to think nobody in the league is as conceited as Kobe Bryant, Jackson arrogantly outshines even the Black Mamba. Who, ironically, gave himself the nickname “The Black Mamba.” That is pretty cocky, you have to admit.

Jackson’s latest comments make Kobe look like a saint.  Kobe might think and believe (some would say we know) he is as good as anyone else, but the reality is Kobe is easily one of the top players of his era.

It’s a safe assumption that many players in the league are not huge fans of Kobe Bryant.

Kobe talks a lot on the court, and possesses a swagger other people might not like, but he always backs it up with his game.  This behavior definitely bruises egos of lesser competitors, causing them to not like him personally. It is the nature of sport and rivalry.

Ultimately, Kobe earns the respect of his peers, top to bottom, player to coach, and fan to referee. Which is why other players would never say what Jackson said. They might not like Kobe, but they all have to respect his game.

Speaking statistically, Jackson has done nothing to back this statement up. He has a career average of 15.4 points a game, and the pinnacle of his career was as a role player on the 2003 Spurs championship team. His comments make him look more like an idiot than Kobe’s equal.

Kobe has won 4 rings and has a career scoring average of 25.1 points a game, which is around 10 points more than Jackson’s 15.4.

Kobe has played in 10 All Star games, and was named the league MVP in 2008. Has Jackson done anything remotely “as good” as this?

Sure Kobe has a tainted past with the affair and rape allegations, but he has been nothing less than a model citizen since then. The same cannot be said for Jackson. Kobe never punched a fan, and never discharged firearms.

Everyone deserves a second chance. But how about a second, third and now fourth?

Stephen Jackson, what in the world have you been smoking?

Stephen Jackson is at a cross roads with the Golden State Warriors. After rescinding his captaincy, he has now taken things one step further, stating he would consider a buyout.

Jackson’s explanation for his relief from captaincy, according to the San Francisco Chronicle:

“I don’t want these young guys to try to follow me,” Jackson said. “I can’t be a role model to guys who make the same amount of money as me. … I think everybody is responsible for themselves, and that’s how it should be.”

We are a happy family, no seriously... (Credit: picapp.com)

I find this explanation to be an unbelievably, utter lie. Is this really the story he is sticking with?

He had no problem being a captain last season. None whatsoever.  Perhaps he is escalating this childlike tantrum by making as many waves as he can since the Warriors dismissed his prior request to be traded.

Maybe he thinks this will force their hand?

Don Nelson has a very good point: “We’re still going to try to accommodate him, but it’s not that easy to do”.

I have stated before in previous posts he should not have been fined, and at the time he should not have.  He was not saying anything on the court, or playing in a fashion detrimental to the team. Seems as though his immaturity has gotten the better of him, allowing his personal feelings to derail his and his teammates game.

His on court behavior against the Los Angeles Lakers in the preseason was detrimental to the team, and worthy of a much larger suspension.  Jackson committed 5 personal fouls and a technical foul in the 9 minutes of first quarter play. He was sent to the locker room and did not return.

The Warriors announced his suspension the next morning.

I am a professional... some of the time. (Credit: picapp.com)

What Stephen Jackson needs to realize is that he is a professional basketball player, keyword being PROFESSIONAL, meaning he gets paid to play basketball. Last time I checked it did not mean to make a mockery of the game, and disrupt your team.

In this worldwide economic state, why can’t Jackson simply shut up, and be happy he is getting paid $7,650,000 to play the game? To millions of Americans, that is a dream job that we would never consider jeopardizing.

On another note, is Jackson really so naïve that he does not realize that his erratic behavior on the court significantly hurts his value? Who wants someone capable of acting that stupid playing for them?

We all knew his shot selection is highly questionable, but this latest tirade is incredulous.

He claimed “I know there are a lot of teams that want me,” Jackson said. “I’m a good player. … I don’t know exactly what the conversations are, but I don’t think it’s as hard as people say it is.”

Who is going to want a player who hurts his team during the game, and then berates his team off the court in front of the media?

Jackson has all but destroyed his efforts to paint his image anew after his infamous 2004 brawl as Pacer in Detroit, or discharging firearms into the sky in 2006.

Here is the video, and thanks to youtube, I hope nobody ever forgets:

Stephen Jackson I ask you this: do you think the business executives running NBA franchises will look past this consistent trend in your personal history?

The business-oriented NBA could soon render the player once known as “Captain Jack” into the “former NBA player Stephen Jackson”.

Monta Ellis has recently gone on record stating that the back court combination of him and 2009 lottery pick Stephen Curry is not going to work. Without ever having played a game, Monta Ellis is publicly lashing out against the idea of two smaller sized players occupying the real estate in Golden State.

They say my brain might heal in a couple more years. (Credit: picapp.com)

Here is what he replied upon being asked about their coexistance:

“Us together? No,” Ellis said. “Can’t. We just can’t. … Just can’t.” Someone then jumped in and said to Ellis: “Do you understand, they (the Warriors and coach Don Nelson) say you can?” “They say you can?” Ellis repeated. “They say you can … but you can’t. I just want to win and you’re not going to win that way.”

Ellis might want to pull what I call “Doing The Stephen Jackson”: Using the media after landing a contract he would not be offered anywhere else around the league, then making his trade demands via the media, but doing this publicly is highly unwise. It diminishes his trade value in that he will be viewed as problematic for management..

There has been rumors of his unhappiness as a Warrior circulating around throughout the summer, and maybe his next move is to make the highly public trade demand a reality.

These rumors also have mentioned how Ellis was assured the Warriors would not select another guard in this draft. Maybe he is still hurt that the Warriors drafted Curry?

Honestly, who can blame the Warriors for selecting Curry? The kid appears to be a bit of a baller, oozing with talent, and might eventually prove to be the best player available in the draft class. He very well could blossom into being the next professional athlete in a long line to surpass their fathers careers.

Wait a minute! Where's Baron???? (Credit: picapp.com)

Is Monta’s brain damaged as a result of one of his most famous unwise moves? Does the famous moped incident have residual effects on his brain? Did these residuals cause Ellis to use his damaged “logic”skills and cite the good old days when Baron Davis was still a Warrior?

He says having a big PG with him is the only way for the Warriors to achieve success when the game slows down.

Does Don Nelson ever allow the game to slow down? Last time I checked, I believe not.

So without really saying it, Ellis ultimately declares, albeit indirectly, that he believes he is too small to play without a big guard there to protect him.

Now why can’t he just come out and say that publicly?

Stephen Jackson was fined $25,000 for speaking his mind. His thoughts were later deemed detrimental to his team, hence the fine.

Don Nelson backed up his player, stating he will remain team captain.

In reality Don Nelson is probably out getting drunk while laughing off the entire situation, knowing damn well why a player with as much heart as Jackson would want to leave a team hovering slightly above a rebuilding season.

Trade me to a contender- I don't want a pretender! (Credit: picapp.com)

I find that odd. How about you?

How many times will Stephen Jackson be the victim of the NBA’s administrative branch?

David Stern would deny the fact he has a short list of players under his “bad-boy” microscope, but it seems quite obvious that he does.

Atop this list: anyone involved in the infamous Nov 19, 2004 brawl between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons fans. Among those players involved: Stephen Jackson.

Go figure, huh?

This is just another failed example of what the NBA considers to be flexing their punitive “authority”. By fining Jackson a relatively minute  (by NBA salary standards) quantity of cash ($25,000), they believe they are making a statement.

What I want to know is: Why even bother?

When the NBA issues their discipline and fine, Jackson ultimately wins.

Media will regurgitate the tale of Jackson’s trade demands. They will re-explain the story causing these fines being levied. His statements demanding to be traded to a contender will now live on to see another day.

Again yet another seed of a potential trade is planted into the minds of everyone reading what the press publishes. The last time I checked, most General Managers are educated, and read newspapers.

Why do they always pick on me? (Credit: picapp.com)

Why not let it slide? Instead of focusing the attention on delegating to grown men on what they can and cannot say via twitter, amongst other various social networking outlets.

Better yet, why not just yield a iron fist, and censor everything and anything a player can say publicly?

Isn’t this America? Is this not the country in which we all possess the freedom of speech?

Is Jackson being honest, and sharing his opinion more detrimental to the team than perhaps, riding a moped?

Players make trade demands in all professional team sports, and in some instances these demands are met. The truth of the matter is he did not criticize or belittle anyone by name. He did not throw anyone under the bus. All he did is expressed a genuine wish to end his career on a wining franchise.

That is the truth being spoken by someone with championship experience. Oh yeah, he was a vital contributor to winning a title with the Spurs in 2003.

It usually ends to the detriment of the team by not granting a player’s trade demands. Discontent players usually make malcontent a part of their agenda rather than concern with the team aspect of the game.

It makes me wonder, in a world where Pat Riley and his staff are taking a self inflicted pay cut, what would happen if a player such as LeBron James were to make such comments?

The league’s future basically hinges upon LeBron’s will, so I ask you: do you believe he would be fined if he spoke the words of Stephen Jackson?