Denver Nuggets urged to bench veteran point guard
Reggie Jackson was acquired by the Denver Nuggets in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers last February. Jackson played with the Nuggets in 16 regular-season games after moving to the Mile-High City, twice starting. He shot 38.3% from the field and 27.9% from beyond the arc for a scoring average of 7.9 points and 3.1 assists per game.
These numbers were insufficient to guarantee him regular playing time in the playoffs. In six postseason games for Denver as they fought their way to an NBA title, the seasoned guard averaged just three minutes per game.
It will be fascinating to see what kind of role Jackson plays for the Nuggets now that he is returning for another season.
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report recently recommended that Denver take the chance of benching Jackson entirely in favor of starting rookie guard Jalen Pickett.
With Brown out of the picture, Denver, which needs a new Swiss Army knife, should choose versatility and insert rookie Jalen Pickett as the backup point guard, according to Buckley. “The 23-year-old has the handles and bully-ball game to work on either side of a pick-and-roll, and, much like Brown, his length, motor, and physicality allow him to play bigger than his size.”
Pickett was taken by the Nuggets with the 32nd overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He contributed 17.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists a game for the Nittany Lions last season at Penn State.
The Denver Nuggets can rely on Reggie Jackson for support in any way.
Jackson sounds like he’s ready to do whatever it takes to assist the Nuggets next season, even though sitting on the bench isn’t what any NBA player has in mind for themselves.
He recently spoke about his expectations for Denver’s second season with Tony Jones of The Athletic.
Jackson told Jones, “This is a big season for me and for us overall. “We must enter the season with the knowledge that we as a team collectively have a mark on our backs. But I also need to contribute and do everything I can to make sure we succeed as much as I can. When I’m in the game, my role will be to enter and attempt to steady the ship as much as I can. The young guys will be great to play with, in my opinion. There are several skill in that team. We have to make sure that, as a second unit, we can keep things moving.
Denver Nuggets