Knocking Some Sense Into The Reggie Jackson Trade
As the NBA Trade Deadline passed on Thursday the dust seems to have settled. With countless last-minute trades the basketball world was rocked upside down.
For the Detroit Pistons and their team there was a ton of changeover. They traded for Tayshaun Prince from the Boston Celtics and Reggie Jackson from the Oklahoma City Thunder right before the 3 p.m. deadline.
More from Detroit Pistons
- This Pistons Team Could be the Worst in Detroit Sports History
- Could the Pistons Have the Longest Losing Streak in NBA History?
- What Ausar Thompson and Bill Walton Already Have in Common
- WATCH: Awesome Alley-Oop From Pistons’ Rookies Showcases Exciting Future
- 3 Michigan Sportsbook Promos You Can’t Afford to Miss (Unlock Over $2,400!)
While there are mixed reactions to the Prince trade, at its base value it was a swap of expiring contracts. It was unlikely the Pistons were going to resign either Jonas Jerebko or Gigi Datome to a new contract come the off-season.
Jerebko slowly lost playing time to Anthony Tolliver and Datome never seemed to have made the transition to the NBA game. The Pistons also gave up a 2nd round pick down the road for Prince.
The bigger of the two trades though is easily the swap for Reggie Jackson. The Pistons traded away their starting Point Guard in D.J. Augustin and starting Small Forward in Kyle Singler for him. Just like in the Prince trade, the Pistons sent a 2nd round pick to the Thunder.
At first the trade seems like a massive overpay from the Pistons’ side. They gave up a draft pick and 2 starting members of their rotation for Jackson.
More from Detroit Jock City
- Tigers Sign Manager A.J. Hinch to Long-Term Extension
- Lions vs. Bears Week 14 Opening Odds Disrespect Detroit
- Former Tigers Celebrate Jim Leyland Hall of Fame Call
- This Pistons Team Could be the Worst in Detroit Sports History
- 4 Free Agents Tigers Should Sign During Winter Meetings
The main knock on Jackson (especially in Head Coach Stan Van Gundy’s system) is his inability to hit the long ball. He’s a career 28.8% 3-point shooter and seems to be the exact opposite of Van Gundy’s 4-out, 1-in system he employed during his time with the Orlando Magic.
It’s even more interesting seeing Van Gundy trade away Singler (career 37.9% from 3) and Augustin (career 37.3% from 3) for a guy like Jackson. That’s where there might be some sense in this trade.
Van Gundy could not have simply traded away some of his best 3 point shooters for a poor one without a plan. What his final plan though is anybody’s guess, it’s all speculation at this point.
While it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what he might be planning there are upsides to Jackson as well. He’s only 24 years old and has the chance to flourish under a coach like Van Gundy.
Jan 18, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard
Reggie Jackson(15) drives to the basket against the Orlando Magic during the first quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
It’s hard for a developing point guard to play well in the Thunders’ iso-dominated offense. The healthy ball movement and team basketball should be a refreshing change for Jackson as he makes his transition to the Pistons.
Jackson’s contract situation is easily what’s the most intriguing part of the situation. He’ll be a restricted free agent come the summer and the Pistons can use that to their advantage.
These next 28 games are essentially a job interview for him and will probably define what teams will go after him. With Augustin also gone Jackson will get as much playing time as he can handle. This will be a make-or-break period for him and his NBA career.
The upcoming free agency for Jackson is a double-edged sword though. If he absolutely kills it these next 28 games the Pistons will probably find themselves in the playoffs. The goal after starting the season a dismal 5-23.
Except it’ll come with a huge price tag in the summer and a hard decision for the Pistons front office. With Brandon Jennings being back for the 2015-2016 NBA season it’ll be interesting to see how the brass deal with the situation.
Detroit Pistons
Comparing it to who got traded in Singler and Augustin it seems to make even more sense. Singler will be a free agent come the off-season and was unlikely the Pistons resign him.
Augustin is a completely different case. The Pistons sold high on him during his recent hot stretch as a starter. The reality is that they should not expect the same production long-term.
They seemed to have capitalized on that opportunity by trading him to the Thunder. He had a cheap contract but would be expendable once he was on the bench come next season playing second fiddle to Jennings.
The contract situations of the 3 players involved make the trade a lot more easier to follow. The Pistons realized this and seemed to have made a calculated risk on Jackson.
With the motivation of a playoff race and a contract year Jackson has all the tools to potentially breakout in this next handful of games. How he responds though is the interesting part.
While Jackson doesn’t seem like the ideal option for point guard his potential is one that shouldn’t be ignored. He isn’t exactly efficient (51.1 True Shooting % this year), but a new system and a great coach in Van Gundy has the potential to pay dividends for this young guard.
Now, your thoughts. How do you feel about the Reggie Jackson trade? Do you hate it? Love it? Or are you waiting to see how he plays? Whatever the case, the trade at least in my opinion seems to make a lot more sense than when it was first being reported.