Warriors deal Jackson

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The Golden State Warriors found a home for the disgruntled swingman Stephen Jackson on Monday, sending him to the Charlotte Bobcats in a four-player deal that pairs him with coach Larry Brown.

The Bobcats sent shooting guard Raja Bell and forward Vladimir Radmanovic to the Warriors for Jackson and guard Acie Law.

The deal gives Jackson his wish: a ticket out of town after his difficult relationship with Warriors coach Don Nelson, who acknowledged since the season began they would try to trade him.

With managing partner Michael Jordan signing off on the deal, Charlotte takes on Jackson's contract, which has three years and US$28 million left after this season. Golden State inherits Radmanovic's deal, worth about US$13.5 million over this season and next. Bell and Law are in the final year of their contracts.

Bobcats general manager Rod Higgins said Jackson was on his way from Milwaukee, where the Warriors played Saturday, to Orlando, where the Bobcats were to play later Monday.

"We had an opportunity to bring a starter to our lineup," Higgins said. "A guy we envision starting at the (shooting) guard spot. He's coming off arguably his best season last year. I spoke to Stephen, and he's very excited to come here."

The six-foot-eight Jackson gives Charlotte, the NBA's lowest-scoring team at 82.4 points a game, an immediate offensive boost. He's averaging 16.6 points in nine games this season, after averaging 20.7 points and 6.5 assists last season.

But the 31-year-old Jackson also brings plenty of off-court baggage, dating to when he was suspended for going into the stands in Auburn Hills, Mich., in the infamous Pacers-Pistons brawl in 2004.

He's been upset with the Warriors since their decline after he helped lead them to the second round of the 2007 playoffs. The NBA fined him $25,000 when he went public with his trade demands in August. He then got into a spat with Nelson during an exhibition game last month, leading to a two-game suspension that cost him about $139,000 in salary. He also relinquished his captain title.

"People's past are indeed that," Higgins said. "Our relationship with him is going to start today. We will embrace him and work with him to, first of all, try to improve our basketball team, and secondly, to bring him into our core and our organization."

The deal came together Sunday night, after the Warriors also had discussions with Cleveland. The Cavaliers were looking for insurance for troubled guard Delonte West, and Jackson was in Indiana when Cleveland coach Mike Brown was an assistant there.

But Jackson will go to a struggling team instead of a contender, while the Warriors get the 33-year-old Bell, who joins his third team in less than a year after being dealt from Phoenix to Charlotte in December. Bell has been playing this season with a partially torn ligament in his left wrist and is averaging 12 points.

Bell also could provide needed veteran leadership on Golden State's young roster that includes rookie Stephen Curry and second-year pros Anthony Randolph and Anthony Morrow.

The six-foot-10 Radmanovic was acquired last season in a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers and is an outside shooting threat that will give the Warriors more size. He had been miscast this season as Brown had him playing power forward because of depth issues.

Law is averaging 6.2 points and gives Charlotte another option in its backcourt.

But Brown's biggest challenge will be getting Jackson to fit into his demanding system after yet another roster shuffle for a team off to a disappointing 3-6 start. The Bobcats have made five trades involving 17 players in 11 months since Brown began his record ninth NBA head coaching job last season.

The NBA's version of Milton Bradley On to another team to screw up.

I think this guy might be the 'scorer' Charlotte needed, then again they lose a couple of good players (Bell being injured, but still a solid defender). I don't know, this trade is going ehh for both teams.

I think this is going to do Bell's fantasy value some good. A 3 point shooter on a fast-pace team like the Warriors? It's like he's back with the Suns

I don't think it will help the Bobcats but I might be wrong.

I think it'll help them until Jackson blows up. When Jackson wants to, he can be a very good all around player (although he could use some help with that fg%...but Raymond Felton is hardly the guy to help him with that).

Word on the street (and by street...I mean the internet) is that the Cavs were pursuing him and LeBron was fully behind that movement.