NBA rumors: Stephen Jackson not invited to Golden State Warriors camp
By John Buhler
While Stephen Jackson was reportedly going to receive an invitation to try out for the Golden State Warriors, Golden State is now denying those rumors.
While ESPN’s Rachel Nichols initially reported on Sunday that former NBA forward Stephen Jackson was going to receive an invitation to Golden State Warriors camp, Golden State has now denied those rumors through CSN Bay Area.
The thought was that with Golden State being strapped for filling out roster spots with guys willing to take on a veteran’s minimum salary after Kevin Durant signing. Though players like Zaza Pachulia and David West are a few of the guys that will play on the 2016-17 Warriors, some believed that owner Joe Lacob might bring in a former Warrior that is out of the league to chase a title in Golden State.
Jackson, along with Baron Davis, were two of the names that might have fit that 15th man role on the 2016-17 Warriors. Both have been out of the league for a couple of years, but are beloved in the Bay Area for their roles on the 2007 “We Believe” Warriors that upset reigning Western Conference Champion Dallas Mavericks in their 1/8 series.
That was Golden State’s first trip to the Western Conference Playoffs since the early 1990s. Golden State struggled in obscurity in the deep Western Conference despite having unwavering support from the Bay Area faithful. Once Lacob bought the team, Golden State gradually improved and then skyrocketed to one of the league’s best in a matter of years.
Could Golden State still win the 2017 NBA Finals with a guy like Jackson or Davis as the 15th man coming off the bench? Probably, as the Warriors will feature one of the most ferocious fives in NBA history: Stephen Curry at point guard, Klay Thompson at shooting guard, Durant at small forward, Andre Iguodala at power forward, and Draymond Green at center.
It would have been a neat storyline to see Jackson win a championship with the 2016-17 Warriors a decade after his prime, but it seems that Golden State isn’t going to buy-in on that notion this offseason.
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