Jackson: Trade to Bobcats was 'good for me'

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Pressing his case to be traded from the Golden State Warriors cost Stephen Jackson approximately $165,000.

In his first return to the San Francisco Bay area since being dealt to Charlotte on Nov. 16, Jackson said it was all worthwhile.

"Where I'm at now is great, it's definitely been good for me," Jackson said Friday morning after the Bobcats' shootaround in preparation for their game against the Warriors.

Jackson was fined $25,000 by the NBA in September for going public with his trade demand, then lost nearly $140,000 in wages after being suspended by the Warriors in October for two preseason games for what the franchise termed "conduct detrimental to the team." The swingman played only nine games before Golden State traded him and guard Acie Law to the Bobcats in exchange for forward Vladimir Radmanovic and guard Raja Bell.

Radmanovic has been used sparingly by the Warriors, when not injured, and Bell played only one game before undergoing wrist surgery that could cost him the rest of the season.

Jackson, meanwhile, is averaging 21.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game for the Bobcats, who have gone 19-16 with him. The franchise has never had a winning season since coming into the league in 2004.

"I'm getting a lot of satisfaction out of knowing that I'm helping this organization come close to getting into the playoffs," Jackson said.

Jackson said he fully expects to be booed Friday night when he hits the Oracle Arena floor, the place where in 2007 he helped the Warriors break a 12-season drought without a playoff berth.

"I know I've done a lot for this city," Jackson said. "I've got a lot of respect and love for [Warriors coach] Don Nelson, and I've got to say I've got a lot of fans here. So the booing is not going to bother me."