Josh Jackson Ruled out vs. Pistons After Ankle Injury Diagnosed as Sprain

The Phoenix Suns announced second-year forward Josh Jackson suffered a right ankle sprain and wouldn't return during Thursday's 118-98 loss to the Detroit Pistons.

Jackson improved as his rookie year went on but generally had a season to forget in 2017-18. He averaged 13.1 points and 4.6 rebounds but struggled from three-point range, hitting 26.3 percent of his attempts from deep.

The Suns had a minus-11.8 net rating when Jackson was on the floor, per NBA.com. His 97.8 offensive rating was also third-worst among players on the roster who appeared in at least 10 games.  

Jackson hasn't shown much progression in his second season, which should concern Phoenix. He's averaging 11.1 points and shooting 32.1 percent from three-point range. Contrast Jackson's performance with the sophomore breakthrough for De'Aaron Fox, who was selected one pick after him in the 2017 draft, and the frustration of Phoenix fans only grows.

The Suns are still a bottom-five team and seem to have little to no long-term direction. An injury to Jackson adds to what is another forgettable campaign in the desert.