HOUSTON (AP) -Bobby Jackson believes he was at his best in the five seasons he played for coach Rick Adelman.
The point guard hopes he can return to form after the trade that sent him to Houston and reunited him with his former coach.
Jackson was introduced Sunday in Houston after the trade Thursday that sent him from New Orleans to the Rockets for Mike James and Bonzi Wells.
“I think over the years where I played my best basketball was with Rick, and I’m happy to be back in his system, around a group of great guys on a winning team that is pushing for the playoffs,” Jackson said. “I’m looking forward to coming in and playing hard and doing the things I’ve been doing throughout my career.”
Jackson spent five seasons with Adelman in Sacramento, when the Kings experienced their greatest success. Jackson averaged a career-high 15.2 points in the 2002-03 season, which marked the team’s fifth straight playoff appearance.
He’ll move into Houston’s backup point guard spot behind starter Rafer Alston.
Rockets general manager Daryl Morey believes Jackson’s playoff experience and familiarity with Adelman’s system will help Houston’s push for the postseason.
“Bobby is going to add a lot of toughness and of course his playoff experience,” Morey said. “As Rafer told me, this guy is teaching all of us how to run what coach runs. He was one of the best at doing it over many years, with many successful runs in Sacramento.”
Jackson, who played one season for Memphis before joining the Hornets in 2006, doesn’t think his last two teams used his skills as well as Adelman can. His 7.2 points a game this season is his lowest average since 2000-01.
“Now I’m coming to a system where I know I can thrive and get back to where I was at,” he said. “Rick, he caters to everyone’s needs. He understands players’ weaknesses and their strong points and he’s done that for me. He just kind of lets you go and play your game.”
The 11-year veteran, who turns 35 next month, has a reputation as a high-energy player. There are questions about whether he can continue that style of play at his age.
“It’s not going to change,” he said. “I’m healthy … Coach has a lot of confidence I still can get it done, and Daryl has a lot of confidence I still can get it done or they wouldn’t have traded for me.
“I’m 34, but I feel like I’m 24.”
Also introduced on Sunday was Gerald Green, whom the Rockets received Thursday from the Timberwolves in exchange for Kirk Snyder. Green made the jump to the NBA directly from Houston’s Gulf Shores High School when the Celtics chose him 18th in the 2005 draft.
Green averaged 10.2 points in his second season in Boston before he was sent to Minnesota as part of the Kevin Garnett deal last summer. He struggled in Minnesota, averaging just more than five points and two rebounds in limited action.
While Green said it is “a dream come true” to play for his hometown team, being traded so often has gotten to him.
“Sometimes it makes me feel like I wonder why I’ve been traded so much,” he said. “I’ve just got to keep working hard and just use that as motivation to … be the best player I can be.”
The athletically gifted Green, who won the 2007 slam dunk contest, probably won’t see much playing time in Houston either. But the Rockets want to see if he can blossom under their tutelage.
“I’m not coming in here thinking I’m going to play a lot,” he said. “I’m coming in thinking I’m going to develop and buy into what is going on with this team.”
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