Warriors suspend Jackson after outburst
The Golden State Warriors suspended disgruntled forward Stephen Jackson(notes) on Saturday for two games after he cursed at coach Don Nelson during a preseason game the previous night, two NBA sources said.
The Warriors announced the suspension prior to Saturday’s preseason game against the Phoenix Suns in Indian Wells, Calif., and said in a statement that Jackson was being punished for “conduct detrimental to the team.”
Jackson’s confrontation with Nelson came after he committed five fouls and a technical in less than 10 minutes of the Warriors’ victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. In addition to yelling at an official, Jackson also became agitated after exchanging words with Lakers guard Kobe Bryant(notes), a source said.
After Jackson left the game with 2:40 left in the first quarter, his meltdown culminated on the sideline when he barked at Nelson, a scene one source described as “very ugly.” Nelson responded by sending Jackson to the locker room for the remainder of the game.
Jackson, who has served as the Warriors’ captain, has simmered all preseason after announcing he wanted a trade from the franchise. The NBA later fined him $25,000 for his comments. Jackson didn’t back away from his trade request during the team’s media day.
“I don't have a regret about anything I've done,” Jackson said at the time.
Jackson, 31, is expected to lose about $150,000 in salary for the two-game suspension. He didn’t make Saturday’s trip and also will miss Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Warriors gave Jackson a three-year extension worth $28 million last season. Including this season, he has four years and about $35 million left on his contract, making him difficult, but not impossible, to trade.
The Warriors have received some interest for Jackson, but nothing they consider fair value, the source said. One reported proposal had Golden State talking with the Cleveland Cavaliers about center Zydrunas Ilgauskas(notes), but the source downplayed the chances of the deal actually happening now, calling it “remote.”
