Stephen Jackson Feels Underappreciated

There's never a dull moment in the life cycle of an NBA franchise (unless you're the Bucks). Golden State has remade its roster this summer, letting Baron Davis spread his wings elsewhere while poaching Southlanders Corey Maggette and Ronny Turiaf. Andris Biedrins and Monta Ellis received weighty extensions. Things seem settled for now.

But here's Stephen Jackson, in the middle of August, posting in Port Arthur talking about needing a contract extension to remain happy with the direction of the time. Take it away, Marcus Thompson III of the Contra Costa Times:

"It's something I always think about," Jackson said from his basketball camp. "It's definitely something that has to be addressed because of what I do for this team and what I've done since I've been here, bringing this team from one of the bottom teams in the league to a playoff team, to a team that won 49 games. It's not what I want, it's what I deserve. "... I won't be comfortable going into this season knowing I have to play this whole season being the fifth highest-paid and not get an extension. I would not be happy."

Jackson's a fine player on the right team, and his contract is a bit underpriced. But it's not like GSW's scrubs are making more than him. Ellis and Biedrins are stars in the making, 22-year-olds with immediate production value and potential for excellence. Maggs is one of the best scorers in the league. Al Harrington is ... well okay, Al Harrington is overpaid. But that's not the fault of Chris Mullin, who had to take Harrington to get rid of Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy. (It's the fault of Chris Mullin, who signed Funleavy and Murph to those insane contracts in the first place.)

Jack hasn't been paying much attention to the Warriors of late if he thinks he -- a 30-year-old bottle rocket who has been great on winning teams and disastrous on losing, stagnant teams -- is getting an extension. Mullin snubbed Baron, Monta and Andris last summer! If there's no gun to his head (as there definitely was with Monta and Biedrins this summer), Mullin's not flinching. So if Jackson isn't getting an extension, and he acts as "uncomfortable" as he says he will be, there's only one other solution: trade him. Maybe it will work out for the best (the Ron Artest booby prize?) but I can't see how it results in making Jack more money next year.