Stephen Jackson Pulls ‘a Kanye West’

T Lamont — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 05:15:22 +0000

By now, everybody knows what ‘a Kanye West’ is. That’s the new term for opening your mouth before you think of the ramifications. Right now, Golden State Warrior Stephen Jackson is asking the NBA how they could be so heartless.

Jackson was fined $25,000 for publicly proclaiming that he wanted to be traded. Last month, he told both the Warriors front office and Dime Magazine that he wanted out of Golden State. NBA policy does dictate that players are not publicly allowed to request trades.

Now I’m thinking there must be a science to this that I am unaware of. The science must lie in who you are.

Ron Artest is another guy that a lot of people don't like.

I remember in the summer of 2007, a man by the name of Kobe Bryant was absolutely fed up with the Lakers management. We all recall the outburst that some guy recorded on his cell phone degrading Andrew Bynum because he wanted L.A. to go after (an old and broken down) Jason Kidd. This series of drama culminated with Bryant talking with Stephen A. Smith on ESPN Radio and publicly declaring that he wanted to be traded. Smith even asked him again to make it absolutely clear that’s what he was saying. No fine was issued by the NBA.

Back in 2005, Ron Artest (then playing with the Indiana Pacers) expressed his desire to be traded to either Cleveland or New York. He was fined $10,000 for “making public statements detrimental to the NBA.”

Michael Pietrus (formerly of the Golden State Warriors) requested to be traded in 2008. Did he get fined? Nope. But he got his wish and was a big contributor this season for the Eastern Conference Champion Orlando Magic.

I also remember back in 1999 – Steve Francis was drafted by the Vancouver Grizzlies, but he said “no way am I playing for Vancouver. They better trade me now.” The Grizzlies traded him and he moved on to make a name for himself in Houston.

The bottom line is this - if you’re going to have a rule like this, don’t make it subjective. It has to apply in all circumstances. Or else it looks like more of the usual – - the NBA simply picking on a player that it doesn’t like.

Ball or Nuthin' » Kanye West

Stephen Jackson Pulls ‘a Kanye West’