VCX

Tearful Jarrett Jack says he hopes to stay with Golden State Warriors

OAKLAND -- Warriors guard Jarrett Jack was on the verge of tears as he stood at his locker. He couldn't find the words to truly express what he was feeling, so he let his attire do the talking for him.

"Usually before I would do any media, I would make sure I was dressed a certain way," Jack said after the Warriors' season ended Thursday with a 94-82 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. "I brought one of my best suits.

But looking down at this jersey, it's just a sense of pride I don't think I've ever felt as a professional. ... Nothing in my closet is better than what I have on now."

Perhaps it was the disappointing end to a magical run. Perhaps reality had hit him that he may have spent his last minutes in a Warriors uniform. And he didn't want to take it off.

When the final horn had sounded, the Warriors shook hands with the Spurs and headed to the locker room. But Jack remained. He circled the court, a towel over his head, clapping with the fans. Before long, his teammates and coaches returned. They all took a bow at midcourt before guard Stephen Curry took the microphone and thanks the thousands of fans in yellow shirts remaining.

His future with the Warriors is uncertain.

Jack, who made $5 million this season, will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He played a pivotal role in the Warriors' success as the backup point guard and the late-game ballhandler. So much so, Golden State reached out for extension talks back in January, but Jack declined before talks could get going so he could focus on the season.

Based on his performance with the Warriors, Jack is expected to get several opportunities and lots of money on the free-agent market. Also complicating matters is the rise of rookie Harrison Barnes. An increased role for the starting small forward could mean a reduced role for Jack.

Whether he takes the more lucrative offer else where, or whether the Warriors make a competitive offer to keep him in the Bay Area, that will all be figured out this summer. But Jack was never more clear about for whom he wants to play: Golden State.

"I hope so, man," Jack said. "Obviously there are other things that go into seeing if that works -- we all know this is a business at the end of the day. If I could do it, if I could rearrange it, I would definitely be back at this same locker.

今日以82比94敗北後，本季打出大驚奇的勇士隊遭到淘汰，將由馬刺前往西區決賽迎戰灰熊隊。結局塵埃若定時，勇士隊員在柯瑞 (Stephen Curry) 的帶領下向全場觀眾致意，感謝他們一個球季來的支持。

當勇士宣告出局時，心情愈加複雜的無疑是替補控衛傑克 (Jarrett Jack)，他本季場均可攻下12.9分5.6助攻，效率比絕大多數的先發控衛都來得優異，然而在球季結束後，跑完當前合約的傑克即將成為自由球員，他是否會續批勇士戰袍，沒有人能夠保證。

「在我的職業生涯中，代表勇士打球是一種榮耀，無論我穿上哪隊的球衣，都沒有身上的這件球衣來得好。」在休息室險些留下眼淚的傑克說道。

以傑克的身手和球場價值來看，本季五百萬美元的薪資實在有些廉價，而他也有機會進入自由市場，追求先發以及更鉅額的合約。事實上，早在今年一月，勇士即打算與這位超級替補談妥新約，卻被當時的傑克一口回絕，理由是他希望能專注於這個球季，未來的事有空再說。

「如果可以選擇，我一定會豪不猶豫的留下，我清楚這一切都是生意，但我真的希望能夠留在勇士。」

對於傑克而言，留在勇士肯定是個選擇，氣氛融洽、天賦滿溢，只要年輕小將能夠持續成長，他們的未來簡直無可限量；然而NBA終究是個商業聯盟，即使傑克心意堅定，也不代表他就能夠如願，金州的當家第六人會在何處落腳，目前還不明朗。