Why Oklahoma City Thunder Should Consider Trading Reggie Jackson

The Oklahoma City Thunder should trade guard Reggie Jackson. 

Granted, now may not be the time. With injuries leaving the team low on able bodies, it wouldn't be wise to move one of its best healthy players. However, if or when the Thunder return to full strength, it would be in the best interest for both parties to make a deal.  

Jackson's ultimate goal is to be a starter. It was one of the main things he talked about during the team's media day in September, per DailyThunder.com's Royce Young.

"I feel strong about it. I want to be the starter," he said. "I just want to be great. That's just how I always thought. I want a chance to be great and if that doesn't work, oh well, at least I tried. That’s just how I feel. The best ones I remember have always been a starter. I can’t recall a super sixth man." 

The team clearly prefers Jackson in the sixth-man role, as evidenced by the decision before the season to give the starting shooting guard job to second-year man Andre Roberson. The Thunder also let the Oct. 31 deadline pass without extending the 24-year-old, rolling the dice on their chances of re-signing him next summer. 

According to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, Jackson is eager to test the market in hopes of finding a starting job somewhere. If Jackson already has one foot out the door, it would make sense for the Thunder to try to get something for him.

Writing On The Wall

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After missing the first three games of the season with an ankle injury, Jackson made his regular-season debut against the Brooklyn Nets on Nov. 3. He finished the game with 23 points, five assists and four rebounds in the team's 116-85 loss.

The stats don't tell the whole story, though.

According to Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman, Jackson's selfish play rubbed some of his teammates the wrong way:    

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By the looks of it, Jackson did more harm than good offensively. Teammates Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins grew visibly frustrated with the fourth-year point guard for not running the offense. On one possession, Ibaka grabbed a defensive rebound and looked off Jackson, who was right beside him, to pass ahead to Telfair. Ibaka then motioned for him to run the offense. On another, Perkins lightly shoved Jackson aside with a forearm and took a few dribbles up the court himself before attempting to pass ahead to Telfair.

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Jackson also drew some criticism from head coach Scott Brooks. 

"It’s simple. You just have to get off the basketball,” Brooks said. “You got four teammates out there. You just got to move the basketball. In order for other guys to participate you've got to move the ball. And we didn't do that tonight, particularly Reggie didn't do that tonight."

As if Brooks' comments as well as the fact that both Ibaka and Perkins had to play keep-away weren't troubling enough, there's this cryptic quote from Jackson himself prior to his team's clash with the Denver Nuggets, per Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman: "When I said command a team, I didn't mean be a temporary starter or anything like that. Just trying to play my role while I'm here."

The key words from that quote are "while I'm here." Players with the intention of staying in one place for a long time don't use a phrase like that. Has Jackson already decided he's going to bolt this summer? Does he believe he's going to be traded eventually? Why the skepticism over your future in Oklahoma City, Reggie?

If Jackson doesn't see a future for himself in Oklahoma City, then why should the Thunder? As good as he's been this season (21.8 points, 7.4 assists), he's not irreplaceable. When Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook return from injury, Jackson will be the fourth option on a potential championship contender. 

If he's not content with being a "temporary starter," how thrilled do you think he's going to be when he's sent back to the bench? If Jackson views himself as a starter, chances are another team does as well. Why delay the inevitable? 

Price Tag

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Thunder general manager Sam Presti has said all the right things with regard to Jackson and his future with the club. In September, he called Jackson a "core member" and expressed no desire to move the Boston College product.

Presti echoed those sentiments again after the extension deadline passed, per Young: 

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As we have consistently stressed, we have a great appreciation for Reggie and his place in our organization. We are looking forward to re-opening the conversations this coming July and expect Reggie to continue as a core member of the Thunder for many years to come. At this time, we have to put all of our focus on our team and the season in front of us and Reggie is a big part of that.

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While Presti would love to keep Jackson around, the potential price tag for the team's latest "core member" might complicate things, per Wojnarowski's report.

"Some teams believe Jackson could command a deal in the $13 million-$14 million-plus annual range—especially because of a belief that investing more into an offer sheet could cripple the Thunder’s chances of matching it." 

No team, contender or otherwise, is going to want to pay their sixth man $13 million-14 million a year. There's also the issue of recent deals for starting guards and how they might set the bar for Jackson's next contract. In September, he told Mayberry that he's been paying attention to what's been going on. 

During the summer, floor generals found a way to secure lucrative paydays. Eric Bledsoe signed a five-year, $70 million deal with the Phoenix Suns. Kyle Lowry re-upped with the Toronto Raptors for four years and $48 million. 

More recently, the Charlotte Hornets gave Kemba Walker a four-year, $48 million deal. Also, Ricky Rubio and the Minnesota Timberwolves came to an agreement that would pay the slick Spaniard $55 million for four years. 

Here's how Jackson's numbers from last season compare to those four. Keep in mind that Jackson is the only one of the group to log less than 30 minutes per game. He also made only 36 starts, while Bledsoe (40 starts) is the only one of the foursome to make less than 73 starts. 

Player (Team)	FG%	3P%	Points Per Game	Assists Per Game
Reggie Jackson (OKC)	44	33.9	13.1	4.1
Ricky Rubio (MIN)	38.1	33.1	9.5	8.6
Kyle Lowry (TOR)	42.3	38	17.9	7.4
Eric Bledsoe (PHX)	47.7	35.7	17.7	5.5
Kemba Walker (CHA)	40.2	34.4	17.7	4.9

Jackson's numbers may not be as good as the other four, but he also didn't have the advantage of being a consistent starter. However, per 36 minutes, his 2013-14 stats jump to 16.6 points, 5.2 assists and 1.3 steals. While a deal comparable to the $70 million Bledsoe received is unrealistic, Jackson could play his way into the $10 million-12 million range with a strong season. 

With Jackson being a restricted free agent, the Thunder have leverage. But not very much. With Durant and Westbrook both hitting free agency within the next three years, Oklahoma City can't afford to handicap themselves financially by overpaying a player they don't view as starter material. 

Smart teams have to know that, which is why the offers for Jackson are expected to be big. Of course, if OKC trades Jackson this season, that will become someone else's problem. 

Landing Spots and Returns

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Let's say Oklahoma City comes to its senses, realizes it can't afford to keep Jackson long-term and decides it's time to make a deal. Who should be interested, and what can the Thunder get back in return? 

DailyThunder.com's Jon Hamm listed five teams as potential landing spots for Jackson: the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers.

Of that group, I like the Knicks the most. Current point men Jose Calderon and Pablo Prigioni are 33 and 37 years old, respectively, while youngster Shane Larkin has failed to impress. New York could also use an infusion of scoring, as the team is currently averaging 91.1 points per game (29th in the NBA). 

The Knicks are also coached by Jackson's former teammate, Derek Fisher, and have a player who would pique Oklahoma City's interest in Iman Shumpert. The Thunder tried to acquire Shumpert at last season's trade deadline, per ESPNNewYork.com's Ian Begley, as well as over the summer, per ESPN.com's Marc Stein. 

Shumpert is a versatile guard who can play multiple positions. He would give the Thunder a proven perimeter defender, which would give Roberson more time to develop. He's also a decent scorer: This season, he's averaging 14.7 points and shooting a ridiculous 57.1 percent from three. 

As always, there's risk involved. Shumpert has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career, playing in more than 59 games just once in three seasons. Like Jackson, Shumpert is also a restricted free agent this summer. 

Still, he's a nice rental for a team that needs outside shooting and defense in the backcourt. Plus, with his injury history, there's also a good chance Shumpert will be less expensive to keep than Jackson would've been. 

The possibilities are endless. Jackson's stock will continue to rise as he moonlights as the team's starting point guard. Once Westbrook comes back, Jackson will go back to the second unit, and time becomes of the essence. 

The trade deadline is Feb. 19. If the Thunder strike while the iron is hot, they can take a possible offseason departure and turn him into one or two key players for a playoff run. That kind of move will help the team in both the short and long terms.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder have been down this road before. In 2012, the franchise was on the fence about paying big money to super-sub James Harden. With Ibaka also up for a new deal, a decision needed to be made. 

Inevitably, Ibaka was given a four-year, $48 million deal, and Harden was shipped to Houston just before the start of the season. 

This time around, the Thunder once again find themselves debating whether to dedicate a portion of their cap space to a non-starter. While Jackson hasn't forced the team's hand, it's clear he's got his mind on his money and his money on his mind. 

If Jackson intends to test the waters looking for starter money, the chances of Oklahoma City being able (willing?) to match a huge offer are slim. You can't just let a player like Jackson walk for nothing. 

However, if you make the move by February, everyone will get what they want. Jackson will get to be a starter and raise his value up elsewhere. The Thunder will solve a tough decision while stocking up for when the team is healthy and ready to make a title run. 

It's obvious Jackson has eyes on playing elsewhere. Why not accelerate the inevitable?