Reggie Jackson

Jackson was a vital member of the Clippers last season, stepping into a starting job full time and averaging 31 minutes per game. He took full advantage of his expanded role, averaging 16.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.2 three-pointers per game. It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, though, since he shot an ugly 39.2 percent from the field. His biggest problem came from behind the arc, where he shot only 32.6 percent on a career-high 6.8 attempts per game. Entering this season, Jackson could be in line for a very different role. First, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are expected to be ready at the beginning of the season, which could significantly affect Jackson's usage rate. Second, the team added John Wall, who could take Jackson's starting job at point guard. When Jackson only averaged 23 minutes per game during the 2020-21 season, he provided 10.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.8 three-pointers per game. A significant drop-off compared to last season appears to be in the cards.

Jackson's 2020-21 regular season was a tale of two halves. Prior to the All-Star break, the veteran point guard averaged a quiet 8.7 points, 2.9 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 three-pointers across 20.1 minutes per contest. Jackson turned things around considerably thereafter, posting per-game averages of 12.8 points, 3.2 dimes, 3.2 boards and 2.4 treys over 26.1 minutes after the break. The jump in three-pointers was especially helpful from a fantasy perspective, and Jackson's solid percentages (44.5 percent from the field, 45.5 percent from deep and 87.8 percent from the free-throw line) along with his low 1.2 turnovers per contest further boosted his second-half appeal. The former Boston College star added a third -- and most promising -- phase to his campaign in the playoffs, when he averaged 17.8 points, 3.4 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 3.1 three-pointers in 19 games. Those numbers jumped to 21.4 points, 4.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 3.0 threes after Kawhi Leonard went down with a season-ending injury against Utah in the second round, which could provide some guidance on how to approach Jackson in fantasy drafts next season. With Leonard out until at least February -- and potentially for the entire season -- the 31-year-old figures to take on a prominent offensive role next to Paul George. Patrick Beverley and Rajon Rondo were dealt in the offseason, leaving plenty of minutes at point guard for Jackson. If he's able to come close to replicating last season's playoff performance, he could be a savvy draft pick in the mid-to-late rounds.

Jackson joined the Clippers for 17 games last season after starting the season with Detroit, and he saw an immediate decrease in playing time and production. He lost six minutes and five points per game after coming to Los Angeles, though he played well when asked to handle a heavier workload filling in for Patrick Beverley. In four seasons prior to 2019-20, Jackson averaged 15.8 points, 5.2 assists, 2.7 boards and 1.5 threes across 28.2 minutes per contest, though he's highly unlikely to replicate those kinds of numbers moving forward. Jackson is an unrestricted free agent, and it's possible he'll look for a larger role elsewhere, though his future is yet undecided. If he chooses to stay with Los Angeles, his role off the bench will likely yield some deep-league value, though he'll probably best be utilized as a matchup-based option in daily contests.

Jackson played all 82 games for the first time in his career during the 2018-19 campaign. It was a welcome improvement after the point guard had played a total of 97 games across the previous two years. While he improved in his three-point shooting compared to 2017-18, Jackson saw his usage rate dip to a five-year low (24.5%) as Blake Griffin took control of the Pistons' offense. Though Jackson's role is smaller than many other starting point guards, he still provided some nice individual performances last season, racking up 21 games with at least 20 points and 33 games with more than five assists. Still, Jackson's upside heading into his age 29 season is relatively low, and he'll likely drop to the final rounds of most fantasy drafts as a result. But if he can manage to play 82 games for a second consecutive year, he'll be able to provide some nice value.

For the second straight season, Jackson succumbed to a long-term injury that essentially nulled his overall impact in Fantasy leagues for the much of the year. Jackson was limited to just 45 games as a result of a Grade 3 right ankle sprain that kept him off the floor for nearly three months. His final line -- 14.6 points, 5.3 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 three-pointers across 26.7 minutes -- was nearly identical to the year prior when he played just 52 games due to tendinitis in his left knee. He also connected on just 30.8 percent of his three-point attempts, which was nearly five percentage points worse than his two prior seasons. Despite the injuries, Jackson was back to a full workload over the final 12 games of the regular season and should be good to go moving forward. He's currently slotted in as the team's starting point guard and could be a bounce-back candidate if he can stay healthy. The Pistons added Blake Griffin at the trade deadline last year, so he can help take some of the play-making pressure off Jackson's shoulders. Still, Jackson's injury history with tendinitis will once again make him a risky draft pick and he's unlikely to average 30-plus minutes in order to limit his workload and the overall strain on his knee. Jackson's main contribution will continue to be his assist totals, as well as some solid scoring when he's locked in.

Jackson's 2016-17 campaign was a bit of a disaster. He missed the first 21 games of the season due to lingering left knee tendinitis and then was shut down for the final nine games as well with the same injury. That limited him to just 52 contests, where he appeared to regress as an all-around player. Jackson's points (14.5), rebounds (2.2) and assists (5.2) per game were all down from his 2015-16 averages of 18.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists. He shot 41.9 percent from the floor and 35.8 percent from the three-point line, both of which were similar to a year prior, though it still wasn't enough to offset his overall disappointment as a Fantasy commodity. The good news for Jackson is that he's heading into the upcoming season at full strength, as he reported back in July that he'll be 100 percent heading into training camp. While Ish Smith had a solid year as the team's backup point guard and the Pistons added Langston Galloway in the offseason, neither appear to be a serious threat to Jackson's playing time, which means the 27-year-old should be back in the top unit at point guard. The addition of Avery Bradley could take away a few shot attempts here and there, but it's unlikely to have a drastic effect and the two should form the team's starting backcourt. Look for Jackson to see a similar workload, which should give him bounce-back potential. That said, due to the recurring nature of tendinitis, Jackson's injury history will be something to consider before selecting him. His name was also floated around in trade rumors, so it's unclear just how committed the Pistons are to Jackson as its long-term solution at point guard.

In his first full season as a starter, Jackson proved he's a reliable fantasy commodity at the point guard position. While he was unable to match the 9.2 assists per game he provided in 27 contests for the Pistons last season, Jackson still ranked 16th in the NBA at 6.2 per game and averaged a career-high 18.8 points on 43.4 percent shooting. The 26-year-old was also a trustworthy three-point shooter, knocking down better than 35 percent of his 4.2 attempts per game. With most of the Pistons' core returning in 2016-17, similar production for Jackson should be expected. Detroit added Ish Smith as a free agent this summer, and while the lightning-fast point guard is a considerable upgrade over Steve Blake off the bench, he shouldn't pose a serious threat to Jackson's workload.

Jackson spent the first three-and-a-half years with the Thunder before being traded to the Pistons at last season's trade deadline. Through 27 games as the starting point guard for the Pistons, Jackson averaged 17.6 points, 1.0 three-pointer, 4.7 rebounds, 9.2 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.1 blocks in 32 minutes per game while shooting 44 percent from the field, 34 percent from three, and 80 percent from the line. The Pistons signed him to a five-year, $80 million extension this summer, making him the unquestioned starter at point guard. Brandon Jennings is still on the team, but he's returning from surgery to repair a torn Achilles suffered in late January. Even if Jennings is healthy enough to play at the beginning of the season, most players who return from Achilles injuries struggle dearly in their first season back. With Greg Monroe no longer clogging up the paint for the Pistons, they'll be utilizing a lot of pick-and-rolls to attack the paint and shooters to open the floor. Jackson flourished during an 11-game stretch when Monroe was out with a knee injury from late-March to early-April last season. During those 11 games, Jackson was the 15th ranked player in fantasy and averaged 20.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 10.8 assists in 32 mpg.

Jackson had a breakout season in 2013-14, averaging career highs in minutes (29), points (13.1), assists (4.1), rebounds (3.9), and steals (1.1) in 80 games. He emerged as an integral part of Oklahoma City's rotation, especially during the middle of season when he filled in admirably for an injured Russell Westbrook. Once Westbrook returned, Jackson's role naturally decreased, but his high-energy play on both ends of the court forced coach Scott Brooks into giving the guard significant minutes anyway. Jackson even played alongside Westbrook in the backcourt at times, particularly in late-game situations, so he should continue to be an important piece for the Thunder, even if he doesn't enter the season as the starter. The fourth-year guard rebounds well for his position, and his stellar free-throw percentage (89%) from last season is worth noting too, but it's still hard to get too excited about Jackson's fantasy outlook, given he's at best the fourth option on offense behind Kevin Durant, Westbrook, and Serge Ibaka. Nonetheless, given Westbrook's recent injury history, Jackson has some added appeal attached to his name after proving he can handle the starting point guard role just fine in 2013-14.

Jackson showed some decent offensive potential in the Thunder's playoff run. He took most of Westbrook's minutes and averaged 15.3 points in the team's last nine playoff games. The third-year guard hit just 21.4 percent of his 3-pointers against Memphis, but was 12-of-14 from the free-throw line. He should inherit Kevin Martin's role and possibly be a late-round flyer in terms of points, free throw percentage and assists for fantasy teams.

Jackson was considered one of the better true point guards in the 2011 draft, and this season he might actually get a chance to play. Last year, he spent some time in the D-League, but when on the court for OKC, he showed excellent quickness and athleticism. Foremost, however, he must improve his shot - just 32.1 percent from the field last season - to overtake Eric Maynor as the backup to Russell Westbrook.

The 24th overall pick out of Boston College, Jackson could develop into the primary backup to Russell Westbrook. Eric Maynor serves that role at the moment, but the Thunder isn't married to Maynor, and Jackson was considered one of the better true point guard in last year's draft. His progress will be interesting to watch, but, at least to start the year, don't expect him to get off the bench much.