Los Angeles Clippers officially waive Stephen Jackson
By Brad Rowland
Well, that was fun while it lasted.
It's official, the Clippers have waived Stephen Jackson.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) January 7, 2014
The LA Clippers have officially waived swingman Stephen Jackson after just 9 games, setting the stage for a potential run at the annual “buy-out” candidates around the league. Jackson, who is now 35 years old, was once a near All-Star level player on the wing, but his athleticism is virtually gone at this stage, and because of that, he struggled mightily during his stint in LA.
It’s unfair to pin a guy’s PER on him after just 9 games (and 11.9 minutes per contest), but Jackson barely cracked the zero barrier (0.27) as a result of shooting just 23.1% from the floor and 7.1% (not a misprint) from beyond the arc. Doc Rivers was quick to praise Jackson on the way out, reportedly saying he was “great”, but there was no indication that he could actually help LA win this season.
Most NBA minds have quickly shifted into focus on what LA could do with Jackson’s roster spot, and while they’re expected to sign another point guard (Maalik Wayns?) to a 10-day contract, they still have flexibility to go after a buyout guy like Andrew Bynum. Stay tuned for more updates, but whoever they end up with will certainly have greater upside than what Jackson was giving them.