A league exec says Reggie Jackson is 'probably' better than Eric Bledsoe. (USATSI)
Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Reggie Jackson is doing his best in difficult circumstances with his superstar teammates sidelined, and this stretch in the starting lineup should have a positive effect on his market value. He's long maintained that he's a starting-caliber player -- headed into restricted free agency, he could be paid like one. From Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski:
For Jackson, 24, the transformation from sixth man to an impact starter is validating everything that NBA executives and coaches suspected: He could be a star. Jackson turned down a lucrative, rookie contract extension in October, and he's determined to be a starter in the NBA.
He's generating a market value that'll test the Thunder's resolve in restricted free agency this summer. Every night, executives examine Jackson, and his offer sheet possibilities are climbing into the $13 million to $14 million range. As one Eastern Conference executive told Yahoo Sports: “He's a bigger Eric Bledsoe – and probably better.”
…
“I never expected this [role] to happen here, never wanted it to happen this way,” Jackson said. “But I've prepared myself for it. The future is unknown. You never know what's going to happen. This might be a role I've got to get used to.”
The piece also paints a picture of Jackson as a "minimalist," in his own words -- he doesn't own a car, he buys clothes at a discount, his biggest indulgence is novelty socks. In writing a profile on Jackson recently, I can say this rings true. Jackson's brother, Travis, said that a couple of weeks ago Reggie called him from the dollar store in Oklahoma City. Jackson has also taken up the yo-yo, which Travis prefers to him dribbling a basketball around loudly all the time.
Anyway, the potential offer sheet and the bigger/better than Eric Bledsoe stuff is the news here. Jackson's averaging 22.8 points, 7.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds in 41.7 minutes per game this year. That sample size is just six contests, but he's been impressive. On offense, he's aggressive, he can run the pick-and-roll, get to the basket and shoot from distance. On defense, he's quick, pesky and long. While he's been fighting a reputation as a combo guard since high school, there's mounting evidence that he can run a team as a point guard on this level.
Is that worth $13 million or $14 million a year? How can we really know?
Jackson's case will be interesting to follow this summer, as there are several other teams with point guards heading into free agency that could be looking at him -- namely, the Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks. In a vacuum it's hard to argue that he should be paid, say, more than Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry, but the new television deal means a new landscape. Ricky Rubio got just about $14 million per season from the Minnesota Timberwolves, and that's with a serious shooting problem. While this might be an optimistic assessment for someone who hasn't assumed a full-time starting role, Bledsoe's success in Phoenix after backing up Chris Paul in Los Angeles could serve as a model. So could James Harden's success in Houston, for that matter.
Thunder general manager Sam Presti has maintained that he sees Jackson as a part of the core, but the franchise wouldn't bend when Harden wouldn't agree to take less than a maximum contract a couple of years ago. We'll see how this plays out.
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