Bobby Jackson was always the candid sort, whether wearing a Kings jersey or a top reading Memphis, New Orleans or Houston across the front.

Bobby being Bobby, as the locals will be reminded when the agreed-upon Kings-Houston trade goes through Aug. 14 to bring Jackson, Donte Greene and a 2009 first-round pick to Sacramento and send Ron Artest to the Rockets, isn't so different from Ron being Ron. At least when it comes to being candid.

"If (Artest) didn't want to be here, they had to find a way to get rid of him," Jackson said by phone this week. "We know how talented he is, and (the Rockets) gave up a lot for him. He's a great player, and he can do a lot for Houston, but you don't know what you're going to get out of him.

"Houston's got their hands full."

And the Kings are about to receive a helping hand.

While they coveted Jackson for his expiring contract and his ability to offer veteran support at point guard, his reputation as a positive presence and no-nonsense personality also were factors. Those character traits proved convenient from 2000 to 2005, his first go-round with the Kings, when the locker room pulse mattered less than the play on the court.

The climate is different now. With a roster full of young talent the Kings hope in coming seasons to groom as pieces of an eventual contender, Jackson – as the 35-year-old entering his 12th season knows – will be asked to play sage and leader.

"I'm going to push these guys just like they'll push me," Jackson said. "I want to pass the torch onto the younger guys. I want to teach these young guys how to play the game, how to get the most out of themselves, how to approach game situations and how to practice. How to work hard."

Despite Wednesday's mini-drama, it appears Jackson officially will be working for the Kings later this month. After Artest responded passionately to comments made by Yao Ming on Wednesday afternoon, he spent the late evening and following day relaying word through various media outlets that he and Yao had spoken via phone and resolved the matter. And while the deal, which is not legally binding, is believed to still be on course, it made for quite the opening act for Artest in his new stop and underscored the importance of Jackson's potential role as Mr. Positive.

"I'd rather it be here than anywhere else," said Jackson, who had retained his house in Sacramento after being traded to Memphis in 2005. "My (four) kids and wife have friends here; my cousin and my church is here. I already know (Kings basketball president) Geoff (Petrie) and the (team owners) Maloofs and what they expect out of me.

"Every time I step on that court, I'm going to still play the same way that I played when I was here. They won't get anything less than that from me."

Jackson said he is atypical of the player entering the final years of his contract who – a la Artest – would play with the partial purpose of landing a larger contract the following summer. He hopes to play three more seasons and knows he'll likely share minutes with Bobby Brown behind starter Beno Udrih. But Jackson said he wasn't overly concerned about his pay.

"My thing is not to come in and look at it like I'm furthering my career," Jackson said. "I'm probably going to play two years (beyond next season) depending on how my body feels, but just probably at the minimum. I've made my money. I just want to be around, get two more years in, then learn the coaching aspect of it and try to be a coach after two years."

The Kings, Jackson said, fully support those aspirations.

"We had this conversation about three years ago in the summer time," Jackson said. "(Petrie and basketball vice president Wayne Cooper) asked me what I wanted to do, and I said I wanted to coach. I said, 'Maybe I can come back in the last year of my deal, coach and play and end up coaching for a team that I had my longest tenure for and then work my way up the ranks.' I'm looking forward to it."

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