Is Stephen Jackson Headed to Dallas?

On Friday, Warriors captain Stephen Jackson put himself on the trade block. By late Saturday, dots were being connected, and Jackson was being rumored to be a possibility for the Dallas Mavericks.

Mike Fisher of DallasBasketball.com reported that, separate from the Jackson rumor, Golden State coach Don Nelson had been talking to folks in Dallas about potential trades. Of course, Nelson's son Donnie runs the Mavericks front office, which would make this wholly uninteresting ... if not for the ongoing war between the elder Nelson and Mavs owner Mark Cuban, which makes this sort of aisle-reaching notable.

So, is it Jackson that Nelson is trying to peddle? Or is something else going on?

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First off, it's impossible to pass on any rumor from Fisher without noting that Fisher's site is owned by a company owned by ... Mark Cuban. Each has denied Cuban has ever been involved in any rumor which has been published on the site, but ... Cuban has been caught in a lie before. So, not to besmirch Fisher's reputation, but when he's reporting rumors about Cuban adversaries, take it with an extra grain of salt.

Fisher reports that Nelson could be trying to lose Monta Ellis, who is an older, more athletic Stephen Curry without the range. Curry, of course, will be a cheap Warrior for the next four seasons ($13 million). Ellis will be expensive for the next five years ($55 million). Without a guarantee Ellis will be much better than Curry over the span, and with no need for two undersized combo guards with questionable defensive tools, you can see why Nelson would look to move Ellis.

But Jackson may fit Dallas better, in that the Mavericks don't really have quality cheap talent or draft picks to offer the Warriors for the talented Ellis. The Mavericks have no qualms being old and expensive. The team re-signed Yoda Kidd this summer, and gave Shawn Marion a five-year deal. There's probably a max extension waiting for Dirk Nowitzki at his Dallas home for when he returns from Germany this month. Salary (Jackson has $36 million of it over four years) doesn't scare Cuban, and age (Jack is 31) doesn't scare the front office. This franchise is going for it ... right flipping now. On the other end, Golden State would probably just prefer to undo the Jackson extension by trading him for an expiring contract.

Between Dirk, Kidd, Marion, Erick Dampier and Josh Howard, it would seem Dallas has a starting five in place. But Jackson's playmaking skills and versatility could be an attribute, either in some concert with Marion and Howard, or coming off the bench with Jason Terry. Or Jack's selfish offense and erratic shooting could destroy the real chemistry Kidd, Terry and Nowitzki have developed. Either way, it'd be interesting.

As for the thaw in the Nellie-Cuban Cold War ... let's all pray that's the unbelievable rumor here. I can't imagine a world without $5 million ass pimples and wishy washy hugs.