Warriors' Stephen Jackson is unhappy again

The Warriors have no choice but to allow disgruntled guard Stephen Jackson to play if the goal is to get rid of this headache.

It makes no sense to buy him out and send him packing, like the Knicks did with Stephon Marbury when they grew tired of his act. Jackson is still a near-elite player, and some team will become desperate and trade for him.

If he wants out, Jackson must come back, act right and hope a team is foolish enough to want him. Right now, teams are standing back and observing. One of those is the Raptors, who are interested in unloading Chris Bosh for the Warriors' Andris Biedrins. Jackson could be part of a package deal.

He was suspended for two preseason games, which cost him $139,000 in salary, but said he's ready to play now that the suspension is over.

"I've got no choice but to go out there," Jackson told the Contra Costa Times. "I'm just going to do my job. I don't want to be fake. I'm just going to go out and play basketball and handle my business."

Jackson became frustrated when he was called for five fouls in a nine-minute period while guarding Lakers guard Kobe Bryant. The two exchanged elbows and bickered. Then Jackson battled twice with coach Don Nelson, whom he believes did not defend him against bad calls from replacement referees.

Nelson tried to calm Jackson, then told him to go to the dressing room to cool down. Jackson responded angrily, telling Nelson to never put his hands on him again.

"I felt like I didn't get handled right in the game," he said. "At the end of the day I wouldn't disrespect Coach like that. But I was mad at our staff for not having my back. If I am going to go out and bust my tail for you, I expect you to have my back."

Later, Jackson asked to have his captain's "C" removed.

Miller is no backup

Speaking of unhappy, Trail Blazers guard Andre Miller is not thrilled with his role as a backup. He said he never would have come to the team if he'd known he'd be coming off the bench. He also spilled some beans by telling the Portland media that "two to four players" failed conditioning tests but their times were changed.

"I can't comment on something that I don't know to be true," coach Nate McMillan told the Portland Oregonian. "It was written and the players know where we stand on that. And we can talk. Again, that's a conversation, it may or may not be true. But the lines of communication are open with the group."

Artest accommodating

People say that Kobe Bryant is a ball hog. But what about Ron Artest ? He's a guy that likes to pound the ball and try to force himself inside. Can he thrive in the passing "triangle offense" with the Lakers?

He said it won't be a problem.

"On the other teams that I was on, I needed to be on the floor all the time," Artest told the Los Angeles Times. "There was not another player out there like me to control the game. But this year we've got Kobe, Paul Gasol . Phil Jackson has great options where I don't have to put all the pressure on me."

One quiet Arenas

Let's see how long Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas continues his vow of silence now that he has been fined $25,000 by the league for not making himself available to the media. He loves to talk and has interesting things to say. But he wants to turn the page on an injury-plagued career.

Arenas was approached in Toronto about an interview and said: "I'm not talking anymore."

"Ever," he was asked.

"Ever," he said.

I find it interesting because I did an interview with him for a Japanese magazine. He not only gave me all the time I wanted, but he wanted a copy.

By the numbers

57.5 Fouls per game called by replacement referees

49 Fouls per game called last season by regular refs

4.3 Blocks per game by Indiana center Roy Hibbert

You got hurt how?

NBA's strangest injuries compiled by Yahoo sports: