Oklahoma City Thunder Must Deal Reggie Jackson Before 2015 NBA Trade Deadline
The Oklahoma City Thunder should use the Feb. 19 trade deadline to move on from point guard and former sixth man Reggie Jackson.
The 24-year-old Jackson is the Thunder's best trade chip. He's a dynamic scorer that can create offense for himself and others. He's also a restricted free agent at the end of the season, and his price tag will likely be too steep for Oklahoma City. Plus, the club already acquired his replacement in Dion Waiters.
Bleacher Report's own Jared Zwerling tweeted out that the Thunder could explore deals for Jackson.
Jackson's 2014-15 campaign got off to a hot start. With Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant sidelined by injuries, the Boston College product put the offense on his back. He averaged 19.5 points, 7.5 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game in November, when he filled in for Westbrook for most of the month.
However, since Waiters arrived in January, Jackson's role has diminished and his production has taken a nosedive. He contributed just 9.4 points during the first month of 2015. Midway into February, his scoring has dipped to 6.3 points per contest.
| Month | Minutes Per Game | Points Per Game | Rebounds Per Game | Assists Per Game |
| November | 38.2 | 19.5 | 5.3 | 7.5 |
| December | 28.4 | 12.4 | 3.6 | 3.1 |
| January | 21.1 | 9.4 | 3.5 | 2.8 |
| February | 19 | 6.3 | 3.3 | 3.2 |
It would make sense for the Thunder to trade Jackson before the deadline while he still has some value. It allows them to alleviate a potential distraction and get something for a player who has become expendable. A change of scenery would also boost Jackson's morale and allow him to build up his stock heading into free agency.
No Future In Oklahoma City
It has become evident that Jackson doesn't have a future in Oklahoma City. The sixth-man role he once excelled in went to Waiters almost immediately after the Syracuse guard joined the team. Plus, Waiters is under contract for next season, which gives the Thunder some leverage in their contract dealings with Jackson this summer.
He'll never be a starter in OKC. The club already has one of the NBA's premier point guards in Westbrook, and they have made it clear they don't view Jackson as a starting shooting guard. So, there's little reason for the franchise to give Jackson the hefty payday he feels he deserves.
Making matters worse, the uncertainty over his role and the fluctuation of minutes have made it difficult for Jackson to find his groove. Good games, like his performance against the Los Angeles Clippers (6-for-6 from the field, 15 points, six assists in 24 minutes) on Feb. 8, have been few and far between.
Jackson's uninspired play hasn't gone unnoticed, according to Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman.
"The disengagement that Jackson has shown at times is a red flag. A major red flag. Whoever is advising Jackson has not done a good job since May. No way should Jackson talk publicly about wanting out, about being a star, about making the Hall of Fame, for crying out loud. It's perfectly fine to feel that way, but there is no advantage to airing the laundry.
And it's even worse to then play a season in which defensive effort sometimes is there and sometimes not. Even worse to play a season in which Jackson's forte, those acrobatic drives to the bucket, are sacrificed for 20-foot stepback jumpers. I promise you, Scotty Brooks has pointed that out to Jackson, but Jackson and Foreman Scotty never were in tandem, even in Jackson's salad days of last season. So Jackson is listening to someone else, if he's listening to anyone, and whoever he's listening to is not telling him the right things, or Jackson is not listening.
"
Judging by the way his production is trending, Jackson's play is going to get worse before it will ever get better. That puts the Thunder in a tough spot. He's too talented to be faded completely out of the rotation, but his inability to consistently provide a spark makes it hard for the team to trust him like they have in the past.
At this point, the best solution is to trade the soon-to-be free agent. With no future and a rather murky present, Jackson has embraced the possibility of playing elsewhere, per USA Today's Sam Amick.
"I'm just going to be here and be the best player I can be, day in and day out. When I go on the court I hope it shows. I want to compete at the highest level, always trying to get better. But if you have to move, it is what it is," Jackson said.
Chance To Add Final Piece
This season has been different from years past. Heading into the All-Star break, OKC is a half game behind the Phoenix Suns for the eighth seed in the West. Plus, first-half injuries to Durant and Westbrook exposed some flaws in the team's supporting cast.
With Serge Ibaka venturing out to the three-point line more often and center Steven Adams out for at least three weeks with a broken hand (per NBA.com), the Thunder lack an interior scoring presence. Forwards Nick Collison and Mitch McGary are capable of contributing, but neither are consistent enough to be relied upon.
Also, the Thunder have become one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the league. They are 25th in three-point percentage, converting just 32.5 percent from behind the arc, per ESPN.com.
Oklahoma City could also upgrade the backup small forward position. Durant has been dealing with soreness in his surgically repaired right foot, per Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman, and it would be wise to find someone capable of spelling the reigning MVP.
To fix these issues, the team has went after some high-profile targets. In December, they inquired about Denver Nuggets swingman Wilson Chandler, per SI.com's Chris Mannix. They were also in serious talks with the Brooklyn Nets about a deal for center Brook Lopez, according to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Thunder can't afford to sit tight and hope for the best. You don't want to look back at this season wondering "What if?". If the team nabs the eighth seed, their road to a championship is going to be harder than ever. If dangling Jackson can nab a versatile perimeter player like Chandler or a big man like the Utah Jazz's Enes Kanter (who has demanded a trade, per Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune), then the team has to do it.
At this point, it makes more sense to deal Jackson for help in other areas than hope he can still be a valuable contributor in the second half.
Whether in the next few days or during the summer, Reggie Jackson seems like a lock to be playing elsewhere. In the span of four months, he's gone from starter to sixth man to afterthought. A change in scenery would be beneficial to both parties.
With no future or concrete role in Oklahoma City, Jackson deserves a chance to perfect his craft on a team that will utilize him. He can spend the remaining weeks left in the season auditioning his talents for potential offseason suitors instead of letting them go to waste on the bench.
For the Thunder, the upside to dealing Jackson is two-fold. First, it removes a potential distraction, and allows the team to streamline its rotation. It also gives the team an opportunity to fill any holes before making a late-season playoff push.
The Thunder need to do whatever it takes to win now, and it starts with cashing in their best trade chip.
Note:All stats current as of Feb. 12 and are courtesy of NBA.com, unless otherwise noted.
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