Stephen Jackson Traded to Charlotte

Note to S-Jax -- be careful what you wish for.

Stephen Jackson's wish -- to be traded away from the struggling and dysfunctional Golden State Warriors and coach Don Nelson -- was granted earlier today. But it's hard to make the case that his new situation is an improvement.

Jackson and little-used point guard Acie Law are headed to the 3-6 Charlotte Bobcats. Veteran swingman Raja Bell and forward Vladimir Radmanovic are headed to Oakland in return.

For the Bobcats, Jackson fills an obvious need: perimeter scoring. But Jackson's best position at this stage of his career is small forward, and in Charlotte, that's Gerald Wallace's job. That means he'll slot in at shooting guard, where he'll be a defensive liability against the league's quicker wings. But his shooting ability should help open the floor for slashers like Wallace, Boris Diaw and Raymond Felton -- which will help the Bobcats far more than a defensive specialist like Bell did.

He's also a significant investment -- Jackson's contract runs through the next three seasons, and he'll make over $10 million in 2012-13 (when he's 34). That's sort of a strange long-term investment for the Bobcats to make, when everyone thinks they're trying to cut payroll and prepare the franchise for a sale.

Golden State gets rid of a malcontent and a little bit of payroll relief -- Bell's contract expires after this season, but Radmanovic has a player option for next year. It's hard to say how either player will fit into the Warriors' rotation, which is already over-loaded with wings -- especially when you consider the fact that neither of the new arrivals is adept at initiating an offense. Jackson's ability to run the point took a lot of pressure off Golden State's young backcourt. That ability will be hard to replace.

Jackson will become one of the primary scoring options for his new team, but his value in most fantasy formats will actually drop. Golden State plays at a breakneck pace on offense; there are turtles and snails that get up and down the court quicker than Larry Brown's Bobcats.