The Golden State Warriors are reportedly interested in acquiring former player Stephen Jackson as a coach next season.
The Golden State Warriors not only lost a chance at securing the greatest season in NBA history, but the team also lost a top assistant coach in Luke Walton.
Walton is now the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, leaving the Warriors with a position to fill.
According to ESPN’s Mark Stein, they could be looking at another former player.
I'm told Golden State has shown interest in Stephen Jackson in a coaching role . But Jackson, 38, hopes to make a PLAYING return next season
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 29, 2016
Jackson was a part of Golden State’s magical playoff run in 2007 when the eighth-seeded Warriors took down the first-seeded Dallas Mavericks in the first round. He finished his career after playing for eight different teams, and ultimately announced his retirement last summer.
Stein saying that Jackson wants to make a playing return is interesting, as Jackson has not been an effective NBA player for several years.
He only played nine games for the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2013-14 season before being waived, and has been out of the league since. Being offered a coaching job by the Warriors could put Jackson in a position to one day be an NBA head coach, such as what happened with Walton. But trying to make a playing return at this point in his life may prove futile.
Passing on an opportunity to be a coach with the Warriors would be a terrible decision, especially for someone like Jackson who would be respected right away because of his playing career — a career which ended two years ago.
It is tough to let go, but Jackson needs to make the right decision and accept this position if it is offered to him. If he doesn’t, he may find himself without a job until he accepts his playing career is indeed over.
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