5 Questions for Stephen Jackson's Agent Mark Stevens

by Atma Brother ONE on Nov 9, 2009 12:02 AM PST in Links

UPDATE (11/9/09 7:43am): Adding question #6 for Stevens: Do you realize Nellie ressurected your client's career and took it to new heights when practically NO ONE in the league wanted anything to do with him?

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Over on ESPN.com Chris Broussard details a telephone tantrum courtesy of Stephen Jackson's agent Mark Stevens who seems to be all about killing his client's trade value.

So the first question you're probably asking is who is Mark Stevens? (Okay that's probably your second one, since the first question you're asking is- when is Chris Cohan finally selling the Golden State Warriors?). Jump for the answer to your second question and 5 additional questions for the agent of the "Captain".

Believe it or not Stevens is Ron Artest's (former?) agent. Makes you wonder if Stevens had some fond memories of the Malice at the Palace or something.

Check out these pieces from Sports Agent Blog for a little background:

This part in particular caught my eye:

The main problem in the whole Indiana-Sacramento-Ron Artest-Mark Stevens line of communication was the fact that Ron Artest and his Agent that he pays to negotiate for him, were not on the same page. Gavin Maloof, part-owner of the Sacramento Kings even said, "Obviously, I guess they weren't on the same page."In any type of negotiation, it is vital that a client's Agent knows the client's wish-list and that the client defends his agent throughout the negotiation. Apparently, in this case, there was a lack of correctness on both fronts.

I have one final request for all current and future Agents. PLEASE, do not go to the media unless you are sure it will be beneficial. Obviously, the media was all over Artest, the Kings, the Pacers, and Mark Stevens to try to squeeze out any info possible. But if there is any uncertainty within any camp in a negotiation, solve the problem internally before the public has a chance to scrutinize your ability to do your job.

Good to see Stephen Jackson associating himself with such a "successful" agent.

5 Questions for the "Captain's" Agent

1. Did it ever hit you and your client that each and every inane public outburst you guys make just makes decreases the chances some other GM and head coach are willing to foolishly trade for Jackson and the remaining 3 years on his contract (thank you Robert Rowell)?

2. Do you charge your clients extra for unfathomably making it even harder for home fans to root for them?

3. Do you seriously want to bring up "credibility and character" when your client is none other than "Captain" Jack?

4. Do you really think it's classy or the least bit wise to talk trash about your client's head coach through the media when he's still playing for him?

5. Who are you again?

Got any other questions for the "Captain" and his agent?

Jack-ed Up:

Poll

Do these weak cheap shots from agent Mark Stevens make it even harder for the Warriors to trade his client Stephen Jackson?

YES: The "Captain" needs a new agent.

399 votes

NO: I'm sure some other team is jumping for joy at the thought of adding Jackson and his agent right now.

237 votes

636 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 29 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

On one hand it's stupid

But good has come out of this… Nellie has finally got called out for unable to control this team and how our players don’t trust him. I hope the FO gets the memo that Nellie needs to go. Then CC gets the memo that RR needs to go. Oh and one more thing, he needs to sell.

Rookie: "Why did you bench me?"
Nellie: "You're a rookie"

by dubzfan on Nov 9, 2009 12:12 AM PST reply actions

so he was able to be trusted and able to control the team during we believe, but now he is not trustworthy and cannot control the team in 2009?

On 5/7, the best part of waking is up LOLDGERS in my cup.

by GameSix on Nov 9, 2009 9:56 AM PST up reply actions

so he was able to be trusted and able to control the team during we believe, but now he is not trustworthy and cannot control the team in 2009?

Different players. those guys were experienced and knew how to play thru nellies schemes. These kids now don’t have those skills yet, the chemistry is not developed so they need better coaching.

Standing on the moon
Where talk is cheap and vision true
Standing on the moon
But I would rather be with you
Somewhere in San Francisco
On a back porch in July
Just looking up to heaven
At this crescent in the sky

by Skeptic con Urquell on Nov 9, 2009 10:33 AM PST up reply actions

“kids”? How many rookies aside from Curry are playing on this team?

On 5/7, the best part of waking is up LOLDGERS in my cup.

by GameSix on Nov 10, 2009 6:35 AM PST up reply actions

It's all par for the course

Jackson’s just one of those personalities. He makes waves with his comments but that’s the edge he brings as a player. And, to be honest, Jackson’s not really inflammatory (although he cursed a lot after the Clippers loss).

I just hope we can trade him for a big. We need help now.

by Jeremy Belvins on Nov 9, 2009 12:22 AM PST reply actions

WE ARE DRAMA

You know I spit technique to the freshest freak
Gimme a call you will see results in just a week
With the soul of a LOST HAWK
Is there a heaven for a Rap Cat, let's talk

by LostHawkGSW on Nov 9, 2009 12:23 AM PST reply actions

Actually

I think his agent did a pretty good job of telling it the way it is as far as Nelson is concerned.

by centerre on Nov 9, 2009 12:31 AM PST reply actions

at

least they really saying how it is and not being all fake

So I don't have a signature well these words would do! Who knew that upgrades can have downgrades too!

by 24k state fan since 87 on Nov 9, 2009 12:33 AM PST reply actions

Not a smart move by Stevens. It makes him look unprofessional, and it will only make Jack’s remaining Warriors tenure more unpleasant, for him and for everyone else. Bush-league stuff.

However, on the narrow question of whether this will hurt Jack’s trade value, I think the answer is probably no.

There are three main thrusts to Stevens’s rant:

1) Nellie is a scumbag who ruins franchises.

2) Nellie is a bad and overrated coach.

3) The Warriors are a pathetic and dysfunctional organization.

Now, we can debate the accuracy of these claims (my take: not totally false but overstated; historically false but currently true; as true as water being wet). But that’s not really the point. The point is, why would Cleveland or Miami or Charlotte or New Orleans care about these accusations? They don’t care about the reputations of another coach or another franchise… they either think they need Stephen Jackson or they don’t.

Does this outburst make Jack look volatile? I don’t think so. Stevens is clearly just speaking for himself, and based on the timeline, it seems possible that he went on his rant before even talking to Jack after the game. I don’t think this necessarily reflects badly on Jack, other than to make it seem like he has bad taste in agents. I guess you could argue that this gives a potential trading partner the impression that they’ll get crapped on if Jack gets unhappy there, but that strikes me as a little flimsy… our recent drama is not likely to be repeated elsewhere.

Does Stevens drag anybody else’s name through the mud? Not really. The only other active ownership figure he mentions is Mark Cuban, and he paints Cuban as a well-meaning victim; if anything, you’d think this would make Cuban slightly more interested in Jack, as the implication here is that Jack is in the same “Nellie sucks” camp as Cuban.

Does this force our hand in terms of trading Jack? Of course, but our hand was already forced. And while you could argue that we’d get less for Jack now than we would in February, you could also argue that we’d get more for Jack now than we would in February. By the deadline, some potential trade partners may be doing so well that they decide they don’t have a pressing need, better swingmen will probably be available, and Jack will be three more months into a tenure on a bad team, further tarnishing his “winner” credentials.

So, yeah. Nellie should be mad at Stevens, Jack should be mad at Stevens… hell, Stevens should be mad at Stevens. But I don’t think we Warriors fans have been wronged here. I don’t think this has hurt our position any.

by onlxn on Nov 9, 2009 12:44 AM PST reply actions 4 recs

"Jack should be mad at Stevens"

Stevens opened the door for us to trade Jack to a crappy team. I’d like to see Jack stewing in New Jersey playing for the 0-7 Nets. Har har har.

by IQofaWarrior on Nov 9, 2009 6:37 AM PST up reply actions

...why would Cleveland or Miami or Charlotte or New Orleans care about these accusations?

Answer: because if they pick up Stephen Jackson and for some reason it doesn’t work out to his satisfaction, they know he or Mark Stephens will have no qualms with going to the media in the same manner to pound the flaws of their coach, players, or organization.

by unfair weather on Nov 9, 2009 10:36 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs

It's...

…a phenomenally stupid move for him to mouth off like this, because it in no way endear Jackson to other NBA teams, or Stevens to any other prospective clients. The only way to salvage this is for Jackson to fire him and renounce this publicly, which will almost certainly not happen. The specific criticisms of Nelson he makes are at the same time generic and wildly over-the-top. That said, if he’d been saying these things about Cohan and Rowell, I don’t think we’d be complaining too much despite the unprofessionalism and foolishness being roughly equivalent.

by Zack Vank on Nov 9, 2009 3:26 AM PST reply actions

Since when have AGENTS been known for their grace?

But then again…maybe the player picks an agent in their own image… in terms of personality?

GSOM Blog Beast!

by BritWarriorGSW on Nov 9, 2009 4:34 AM PST reply actions

Stevens sucks

Bad move, bad agent

Warriors ¡¡ EN ESPAÑOL !!!!
www.losgswarriors.blogspot.com

by R1Molano on Nov 9, 2009 4:46 AM PST reply actions

Warriors suck

Bad team, worse franchise.

by JRich4MVP on Nov 10, 2009 7:50 PM PST up reply actions

i thought jack fired his agent (right before the contract extension)

when did he pick up this dbag?

by wizard5ive on Nov 9, 2009 6:46 AM PST reply actions

Another question

What other players does this guy represent now? I pity them.

by bleep on Nov 9, 2009 7:26 AM PST reply actions

On the other hand, this might actually INCREASE Jack's trade value

You guys are overlooking an important part of Stevens’ rant:

Now Stevens says anywhere will do.

“I just want him out of there now,” Stevens said. “It doesn’t matter where. At this stage, something has to be done. It can’t get any worse.”

Whereas previously our options for trading Jackson were apparently limited to a handfull of teams, the field has possibly now been expanded. There may be another handfull of teams that would consider taking on Jackson if they think there’s a possibility of him playing nice.

Another thing this rant does is that it allows for these question marks about the franchise, and Nellie in particular, to be put out in the open to be considered, while not putting any additional heat on Jackson himself (hey, he didn’t say this stuff). Stevens looks the complete fool, but I don’t think Jackson looks any worse.

by ivanbe on Nov 9, 2009 9:10 AM PST reply actions 1 recs

I think

what Stevens was trying to accomplish is make them look in control while admitting that they’ll settle for a weak team. As in, we give up on trying to get Stephen on the Cavs, but not because of any flaw of Jackson’s; because Nellie sucks and that’s that. I’m still not convinced this was the smartest way to go about it, but it’s not wholly stupid either.

"Hold it. The Schwarzenegger Library?" - John Spartan after hearing Arnold became President, from Demolition Man

by 61st Amendment on Nov 9, 2009 1:55 PM PST up reply actions

Everyone thinks the Warriors can be bullied

There has been so much inconsistency in the organization that anyone knows that can get anything they want.
I think this is more evidence that enyone who complains loudly enough will get what they want from the Warriors because top down they have no idea what they are doing.
This is a good move for Jackson because the Warriors will cave and make a trade sooner rather than later.
This is a bad move for Jackson because no one will respect him or his agent (if they did previously?!)

by warriorsvictim on Nov 9, 2009 9:35 AM PST reply actions

Cant wait till this ends (if/when)

by thecity23 on Nov 9, 2009 10:09 AM PST reply actions

Though that whats pretty stupid

I’m happy it’s out there

by 123707THIZZ on Nov 9, 2009 10:56 AM PST reply actions

wouldn't it be nice

since jackon’s (incredibly stupid) extension doesn’t kick in until next year, what if both sides just agreed to veto it? jackson would be instantly tradable in that situation

by AJC3317 on Nov 9, 2009 1:40 PM PST reply actions

Yeah, if Jack and his agent are so sure of his abilities

It’ll open Jack up for a new deal with his new team sooner. And if Jack is playing for a team and coach he likes, he can be an excellent player. It’s only when he’s selfish (ball-hogging) and stupid (wasting time arguing calls) that he’s a problem on the court.

@worldblee on Twitter.

by worldblee on Nov 11, 2009 12:10 PM PST up reply actions

wouldn't it make sense

If it’s really Stephen Jackson behind all this? Calling out Don Nelson through his agent instead of saying the things himself?

Because he couldn’t just come out and say these things himself to the media without being thrown in the doghouse, losing the fanbase (if he hasn’t already), and proving he’s a bigger team cancer and bad personality. I have a feeling these are actually Stephen Jackson’s thoughts that cannot come directly out of his mouth without bad consequences.

Yeah I know Jackson’s been known as someone that “speaks his mind” but this is a situation where he’s really trying to get something. I think he might now be realizing he needs to stop making himself look like the bad guy and make himself look like the victim in order to get his train ticket out of here.

Either way, I’m actually very glad his agent said it. Somebody had to say it. Hopefully something happens. Hopefully Jackson gets traded, Nellie gets fired, and they sell the team to Larry Ellison. WE BELIEVE IN CHANGE

"We Deserve"

by YaHeard on Nov 9, 2009 6:55 PM PST reply actions

Get this done and move on.

by John Will on Nov 9, 2009 10:07 PM PST reply actions

Playing Us Like A Fiddle

Jack and his agent are orchestrating his way out of town beautifully..Every one of these moves has been calculated in advance, including his performance of distributing the ball tonight..

They are playing this stupid organization like a fiddle and I think its hysterical..Jackson is laughing all the way to the bank for punking weasel Rowell at every turn..

i bet he ends up with a good team!!

by The Sear on Nov 9, 2009 10:23 PM PST reply actions

i bet he ends up with a good team!!

that would just be a bonus, he’s already won the big pot

by Skeptic con Urquell on Nov 10, 2009 4:03 PM PST up reply actions

With any other franchise, this would be a stupid move. The NBA already knows the truth that the Warriors FO is a joke. Everything Stevens said was warranted. I am glad he said what he did, reiterating how bad Nelson/Rowell screwed the promising we believe team up.

This team PURPOSELY chose Maggette & Bust Wright over Baron Davis and Jason Richardson. Inexcusable.

by RowellMustGo on Nov 10, 2009 1:11 AM PST reply actions