Sought-after vets are already on the move!
Los Angeles Clippers point guard Reggie Jackson was shipped to the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday’s trade deadline.
The 32-year-old vet had served as the team’s starting point guard last season, but was reduced to a bench role this year.
Per Shams Charania of The Athletic, Jackson will link up with one of the top title contenders in the Western Conference this season, the Denver Nuggets, in the hopes of winning his first championship as a backup behind starter Jamal Murray.
Averaging 25.7 minutes this season in a role split between the bench and the Clippers’ starting five, Jackson has been averaging 10.9 points on .418/.350/.924 shooting splits, 3.5 assists, and 2.2 rebounds. He could have been an interesting option for LA, and could have competed for bench minutes with Lonnie Walker IV as one of the team’s key backcourt reserves.
Now, that will not be the case. Which is fine, really, because the Lakers’ chief target on the buyout market should be a defense-first wing who can also nail the occasional catch-and-shoot three. Yes, Jackson can handle the latter assignment, but he’s never been known for former. Washington Wizards guard Will Barton is expected to be bought out of his current contract, and should be LA’s main focus with swingmen Danny Green and Terrence Ross already off the board as of yesterday.
