Sam Presti's belief in Reggie Jackson was misplaced

The last time Sam Presti addressed the media, Thundertown mightve been mistaken for Pleasantville.

Training camp hadnt started that September morning, so that meant the injuries and the losses and the doubts and the swarms of locusts and the days of darkness had yet to befall the land. Everyone was happy and healthy.

Well, almost everyone.

Reggie Jackson had said several times that he wanted to be a starting point guard. So, with the window on signing Jackson to a contract extension quickly closing, I asked Presti about Jackson: His stated desire to want to be a starter how troublesome is that considering youve already got a pretty good one?

I wouldnt characterize it as troubling at all, Presti replied. It would be troubling to me if he wasnt confident in himself and didnt see himself as a very important player to this team.

At the same time, weve never ever in our history here had a situation where weve had any issues regarding whats most important. And the most important thing once training camp starts is winning.

Perhaps thats what Presti really, truly believed. Sure, Jackson mightve said starting was important, but surely, the guy would fall in line and be a team player when it was obvious that this isnt one of the 10 or so NBA cities where Jackson can be the starting point guard right now.

But clearly, Prestis belief in Jackson was misplaced.

Completely and totally.

Wednesday, a day before the NBA trade deadline, we learned that Jackson wants out of Oklahoma City and he wants out now. Yahoo Sports broke the news that Jacksons agent asked Presti that his client be traded.

This puts the Thunder in a huge bind.

Teams know that Jackson wants out, so theyve got leverage on Presti. They might desperately need a young, talented point guard. They might be willing to part with some pieces the Thunder would covet. But they might offer less because Jackson has asked for a trade and Presti is backed into a corner.

This team wants to make a run at the playoffs, maybe even surprise a few folks once it gets there. Can Presti get something in return for Jackson that enables the Thunder to do those things?

And what if no deal gets done? Will Jackson accept it, see the rest of the season as an audition for the other 29 teams in the league and play lights out? Or will he mope and pout and bring down the guys around him?

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Source: http://newsok.com/sam-prestis-belief-in-reggie-jackson-was-misplaced/article/5394552