Reggie Jackson

Reggie Jackson
PG - 6’3, 208lbs - 28 years old - 7 years of experience

Yet another season has gone by with a ton of missed court time in it for Jackson, a player who figures to have a level of opportunity in Detroit that he would not get elsewhere, but who has not been healthy enough to take up said opportunities. And when he had been able to play, he has demonstrated the same playing style and related inefficiencies as before.

Jackson still functions primarily as a scorer, and yet as his athleticism seems to subside after so much injury, he still has not become that good of a three-point shooter. There are a few, but they are not efficient; instead, Jackson prefers to drive into the arc off of a screen, and either go up for a jump shot off one dribble or go in further for a shot-put type of thing off of two dribbles. He has a small amount of success with both, yet neither is offensively very efficient at a time when such things matter.

You know that whole thing where Stephen Curry will continue running to a new spot after passing off on the drive? Not so much with Jackson. Ball dominant to begin with, Jackson moves little when he doesn’t have it, other than to call for a refeed. He would score better if he could serve as his own decoy. But it doesn’t happen.

Jackson has talent. He can get to the basket, score once there, or find a big man at the rim. He can score in isolation. Yet he has never quite nailed down what to do with these gifts. And as he enters the second half of his career, with defences more clued in than ever about his favourite spots on the court and how he intends to get there, more offensive diversification is needed. Instead, he is sticking with what he knows.

If he gets back to full health now, though, he will have two All-Star bigs to work with. If he can hit them regularly, and be fed by them regularly on cuts, while also improving his defensive mobility, he could have a new dawn.

Player Plan:Two years and $35,130,434 remaining, all guaranteed with no options. It is a lot for not all that much. That said, he is needed. Notwithstanding the fact that a lot of it has to do with the weak depth behind him, the Pistons are much better with Jackson. So here’s to good health and a new start.

Reggie Jackson
PG/SG, 6’3, 208lbs, 27 years old, 6 years of experience

Frustrating and poor year for a man given the opportunity to be “the guy” in an NBA offence, but who does not appear capable of being so. A lingering knee injury didn’t help, as it clearly robbed him of some of the athleticism and speed that made him such a prospect, yet Jackson did not tailor his play to match, maintaining an extremely high usage rate, taking the lion’s share of the ball, driving as much as he can without be-ing able to make the shots any longer. Combined with being an ineffective defender and without ever showing much in the way of passing vision or willingness, Jackson is thus an inefficient scorer whose team of-fense is his own offence. Sorely in need of a bounce-back year.

Player Plan: Three years and circa $51 million remaining. After a very poor last year, his value will be low, and it is not worth dealing him low. But if he can redeem it in the upcoming season, he may be worth dealing down the road for a player that is a better fit in the Van Gundy offence.

Pick 24: Oklahoma City makes a noteworthy pick when they choose Reggie Jackson of Boston College. Jackson wanted to go to one particular place so badly that he blew off workouts with absolutely everyone - the problem was, no one knew who it was. Rumours abounded, from Portland to Miami, via Boston. Only Reggie knew, and he was determined to get what he wanted. So he decided to be a ninja, disappearing off the face of the earth, not working out, not getting measured at the combine, not appearing on the radar. He made it clear that he was only going to one team.

Either that one team was Oklahoma City, or the Thunder just called someone's bluff. It seems odd that they would give him a draft promise, given that the presence of Eric Maynor gives Jackson no role in the rotation, yet if they concluded that Reggie was the best player available, then that is all that matters.

Reggie Jackson - At as a sophomore at Boston College, Reggie Jackson dominated the ball rather a lot. Last year, though, he honed his point guard skills, developed a better understanding of when to go, when not to shoot, when not to dribble, and how to play off the ball, and was thus utilised more as a scorer in addition to his improved floor leadership. Given that he scored 18.2 points per game on percentages of 50.3%/79/6^/42.0%, while passing for 4.5 assists and turning it over only 2.5 times per game, that seems fine. Jackson has great size for the position and is extremely athletic, as evidenced by the following display of athleticism.



A point guard who stands 6'3 and moves like that should contribute more on the defensive end than just rebounding, and Jackson doesn't. But he demonstrated in his improvements to date that he has the ability to learn. And even if he doesn't, how any point guards really play defense in the NBA? Seven?