Reggie Jackson Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: Cavaliers, Jackson, Freeman, Bulls

October 6th, 2016 at 10:12am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers are a veteran team, but with role players like Matthew Dellavedova, Timofey Mozgov, and Mo Williams no longer in the mix, some of the club’s young players may have to step up this season. As Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com details, two of those young players, Jordan McRae and Kay Felder, have looked promising so far this fall. McRae joined the Cavs down the stretch last season, while Felder was a second-round pick in this summer’s draft.

Here’s more from out of the Central:

Within his latest Pistons mailbag at NBA.com, Keith Langlois says he’d be “willing to wager” that Reggie Jackson will be in the club’s starting lineup on opening night of the regular season. There have been indications that Jackson could miss six to eight weeks of action, but that’s viewed as a worst-case scenario.
Aaron McMann of MLive.com takes a look at Pistons camp invitee Trey Freeman, who recently had a workout for the coaching staff of the Grand Rapids Drive and could end up with Detroit’s D-League affiliate if he doesn’t make the team’s 15-man roster.
Dwyane Wade‘s veteran leadership is paying early dividends for the Bulls, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN.com, while K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune notes that the presence of Wade and Rajon Rondo in Chicago could help Jimmy Butler evolve into a leader.

Community Shootaround: Pistons’ PG Situation

October 5th, 2016 at 2:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Last week, one Central division team faced some uncertainty at its point guard spot, when the Cavaliers received news of Mo Williams‘ decision to retire, which left the team with just Kyrie Irving and Kay Felder at the point. Cleveland subsequently signed Toney Douglas to provide veteran depth, and now one of their division rivals is facing similar questions at the same position.

Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy revealed today that Reggie Jackson, who is dealing with knee tendinitis and a bone bruise, could miss up to six to eight weeks of action. According to Van Gundy, Jackson is considering treatment options and will make a decision soon (Twitter link via Keith Langlois of Pistons.com). If the point guard undergoes platelet-rich plasma therapy, his recovery timetable would be in that six-to-eight-week range, but it’s possible he’ll be back before then.

Faced with the possibility of being without Jackson for the first few weeks of the regular season, the Pistons are exploring their options. However, Van Gundy said today that it’s unlikely the team would cut one of its young players to add another point guard to provide short-term coverage (Twitter link via Langlois). He added that a trade is also unlikely, per Rod Beard of The Detroit News (Twitter link).

Still, without Jackson, the Pistons are somewhat thin at the point. Ish Smith would move into the starting role, with someone like Ray McCallum, Lorenzo Brown, or Trey Freeman potentially backing him up. McCallum and Brown are both on non-guaranteed deals, so if the team wanted to keep both players for depth purposes, it would mean waiving a player with a guaranteed contract, as Van Gundy noted today (Twitter link via Vincent Ellis of The Detroit Free Press).

Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net hears that Mario Chalmers and Steve Blake are among the players the free agents the Pistons are considering. Kendall Marshall, Andre Miller, and Kirk Hinrich are also available, and Van Gundy said that the team is keeping an eye on players on other rosters who may be cut before the regular season (Twitter link via Ellis).

What do you think the Pistons should do to address the point guard position, if anything? Are their in-house options fine, or should they add a free agent? If they sign someone, which player would be the best fit? Are Jackson’s knee issues worrisome enough that they should consider adding a veteran guard for the season, rather than for just a few weeks?

Take to the comments section below to weigh in and share your thoughts on the Pistons’ point guard situation.

Pistons To Explore PG Market With Jackson Ailing

October 5th, 2016 at 1:35pm CST by Luke Adams

1:35pm: Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy told reporters this afternoon that surgery isn’t likely for Jackson, but the point guard could be out for six to eight weeks (Twitter links via Rod Beard of The Detroit News). While Detroit will explore its options at the point, Van Gundy said he’s comfortable starting Smith, so any move the team makes would likely be a minor one to add short-term depth.

10:13am: The Pistons fear that Reggie Jackson may miss “extended time” to start the regular season, according to ESPN.com’s Marc Stein, who reports (via Twitter) that the team will explore the point guard market for possible alternatives.

Jackson was limited during training camp and was held out of practice on Tuesday this week, as he deals with a left knee issue. As Stein adds in a second tweet, Jackson told local reporters yesterday that he has been battling left knee tendinitis for years.

While it’s not yet clear how much time Jackson will miss, it makes sense that the team would keep an eye out for possible fill-ins. Internally, Detroit would turn to Ish Smith next, with Lorenzo Brown or Trey Freeman as options further down on the depth chart, as the team’s depth chart at RosterResource.com shows.

Stein’s report doesn’t make it 100% clear whether the Pistons would target a player on the free agent market or explore potential trades, but if they look to sign a player, their options are somewhat limited. Norris Cole has committed to play in China, while Toney Douglas signed with the Cavaliers this week, leaving Mario Chalmers, Kirk Hinrich, Kendall Marshall, Andre Miller, and Steve Blake among the only veteran options in free agency.

Of course, with teams set to cut their rosters down from 20 players to 15 for the regular season, more veterans could become available in the coming weeks. However, if the Pistons were to wait until the start of the season to add a point guard, that player wouldn’t have an opportunity to learn the system and mesh with his new teammates at all during the preseason.

Reggie Jackson Praises Pistons’ Offseason Moves

September 12th, 2016 at 3:02pm CST by Luke Adams

A year ago, Reggie Jackson‘s new contract was the big offseason expenditure for the Pistons, as the team locked up the point guard to a five-year, $80MM extension. This time around, Detroit locked up another core player – center Andre Drummond – and added a few complementary pieces to its roster. Outside of Drummond’s max contract, the moves may not have turned many heads around the NBA, but Jackson likes what the Pistons did, as Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes.

“I’m impressed,” Jackson said. “I feel like we’ve gotten overlooked because people don’t necessarily think we’ve made some ‘great’ – with the emphasis on the quotes – off-season moves. But I think, for our team, we had some great pickups.”

Although they weren’t massive spenders in free agency, the Pistons did award three- or four-year contracts to several free agents besides Drummond. Jon Leuer inked a four-year, $41MM pact; Boban Marjanovic got a three-year, $21MM offer sheet; and Ish Smith received a three-year, $18MM deal. The Pistons also added rookies Henry Ellenson and Michael Gbinije in the draft.

None of those players is expected to be an All-Star anytime soon, but Jackson likes the depth the’ll provide, and tells Langlois he’s optimistic about the team’s chances for the upcoming season.

“I think people are looking for huge names and that’s not necessarily what Detroit’s ever done,” Jackson said. “We do it collectively. We don’t need anyone to believe in us. We’ll still find a way. But I think we shored up our second unit and added some more versatility and some more depth. I think we’ll be scary this year. But you know what? I don’t want to talk about it too much. We’ll let the season speak for itself.”

Central Notes: Kidd, Brown, Jones

April 16th, 2016 at 1:45pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Bucks coach Jason Kidd said the franchise’s biggest need this offseason was to acquire outside shooters who can stretch the floor for the team’s big men, writes Charles F. Gardner of The Journal Sentinel. “In today’s game, two is not going to beat three,” Kidd said. “The three is so important. We didn’t have enough guys that could make the three. There’s no tricks. I’m not going to sit here and make up something that we’re going to have to shoot a higher percentage of twos. You’ve got to be able to shoot the three. Everybody is shooting them. You’ve got to have guys on the floor who can stretch the floor and are threats to make a three.”

GM John Hammond shot down the rumblings that he and Kidd don’t have a solid working relationship, Gardner notes. “We just finished our second season together, and I think we have a very good working relationship,” Hammond said. “We talk together, we spend time together. We have a business relationship; we have a social relationship. With what we do, the season ends but it stays busy. We jump right into the draft until the end of June, and then we begin free agency and summer league. You’re stuck together in the season and in the offseason. It’s part of what we do and we love it.”

Here’s more from the Central Division:

Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy said the team inked Lorenzo Brown in order to have enough bodies to practice heading into the playoffs with Reggie Jackson needing rest to recover from an abdominal injury, tweets Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press.
Andre Drummond is pleased with how his relationship with Jackson is developing as well as what the point guard has brought to the Pistons franchise, David Aldridge of NBA.com relays. “You know, getting Reggie last season at the trade deadline, I didn’t know what to expect,” Drummond told Aldridge. “He came off the bench for OKC. I didn’t know what he’d be like as a starter. When he came, I spoke him, told him these are the different things that I’m going to need from a point guard. He embraced it. And he’s been playing great for us. He’s building, and we’re working together.”
The Cavaliers have added Damon Jones to Tyronn Lue‘s coaching staff for the playoffs, relays Chris Haynes of The Northeast Ohio Media Group. The team believes it can benefit from Jones’ experience and rapport with players in its quest to return to the NBA finals, Haynes adds. Jones spent the season as an assistant with the Canton Charge, Cleveland’s D-League affiliate.

Pistons Notes: Draft, Jackson, Van Gundy

April 3rd, 2016 at 2:00pm CST by Will Joseph

Pistons assistant GM Brian Wright, who is in charge of the team’s college and international scouting, understands why some may think there is a greater chance of Detroit trading its first round pick since it was included in the voided trade for Donatas Motiejunas, but added the team’s process is the same in terms of draft preparation in an interesting Q&A with David Mayo of MLive.

“Obviously, we’re a young team and winning in the NBA is tough to do when you’re a young team,” Wright said. “But I do think you just prepare. If it’s drafting an 18- or 19-year-old, then you draft the 18- or 19-year-old if that’s the guy who’s going to help your team. Or if there’s something else there that makes you better, then you look at that. From all standpoints, I think we discuss it as a group and whatever’s best for the organization is what we’ll do.”

Here’s more out of Detroit:

Pistons GM Jeff Bower told Noah Coslov of Bleacher Report that he has seen Reggie Jackson celebrate in the past similarly to the way he did recently against the Thunder, Jackson’s former team (Twitter link). Jackson’s reaction after Detroit’s win against the Thunder drew criticism from some Oklahoma City players.
Speaking of Jackson, he must take a step forward in order for the Pistons to be considered as a serious contender in the near future, Rod Beard of the Detroit News argues. A good showing in the postseason would help, of course, too, Beard adds. The Pistons are seventh in the East with a 41-36 record.
Several bold moves executed by executive/coach Stan Van Gundy, such as trading for Jackson, drafting Stanley Johnson and acquiring Tobias Harris are why the Pistons are in position to earn a spot in the postseason, Beard opines in a separate column. The next step for Van Gundy is to find complementary pieces for the team’s nucleus, Beard writes.

Northwest Notes: Burks, Gallinari, Smith, Thunder

April 2nd, 2016 at 6:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jazz shooting guard Alec Burks hopes to return to the court this week for the first time since December, according to Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune. Burks, who underwent surgery in early January for a broken fibula, is hoping to be ready Tuesday. Although he will probably be under a minutes limitation, Burks will be a welcome addition for Utah, which is in a battle to make the playoffs. In a sixth-man role, Burks was averaging 14.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game before the injury. “There’s a jump between being OK and healed and being able to compete at a high level,” Jazz coach Quin Snyder said in explaining why the team is being cautious with Burks.

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

Nuggets combo forward Danilo Gallinari is happy with the progress on his injured right ankle, but he tells Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post that he doesn’t plan to play again this season. With Denver far out of the playoff race, there’s little reason for Gallinari to take risks with the injury. “We’re not fighting for anything right now,” he explained. “As a player, it’s one of the worst feelings ever because if you’re not fighting for anything, it’s even tougher to find the motivation to play a game.” Gallinari hasn’t played since February 26th after tearing two lateral ligaments in the ankle and spraining another.
Greg Smith has quickly earned a spot in the Wolves‘ rotation because of his ability to play center and power forward, writes Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune. Smith, who recently signed for the remainder of the season, had to overcome knee surgery and a two-month stint in the D-League to earn his way back into the NBA. “I know my role, I know my game,” he said. “I know what they want from me.”
The Thunder’s ongoing verbal war with the Pistons has intensified, according to Erik Horne of The Oklahoman. The dispute started when Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant blasted former teammate Reggie Jackson for an exuberant celebration after Detroit’s win over Oklahoma City this week. Pistons rookie Stanley Johnson is the latest to join the fray, saying Durant shouldn’t have skipped the contest if he was concerned about the outcome. “If he wanted to have an impact on the game, he should have just played,” Johnson said. “No one is scared of playing against him on this side of town.”

Central Notes: Butler, Noah, Antetokounmpo

March 30th, 2016 at 1:59pm CST by Chuck Myron

Several executives around the NBA say the Magic are a team to watch in regard to Jimmy Butler, The Vertical’s Chris Mannix reports. The swingman is in the first season of a five-year contract with the Bulls, but the tension between him and coach Fred Hoiberg, who’s just starting a five-year deal of his own, led several teams, including the Celtics, to ask the Bulls about trading for Butler before last month’s deadline. Orlando, with enough cap flexibility to add Butler and another maximum-salary player this summer, has several intriguing young players and coach Scott Skiles, a defensive taskmaster with similarities to former Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau.

See more from the Central Division:

Many expect Joakim Noah to leave the Bulls in free agency this summer, Mannix writes in the same piece. Noah has also been linked to the Magic, though only speculatively.
Bucks coach Jason Kidd said a few days ago that Giannis Antetokounmpo won’t be guarding point guards and alluded to the need for a traditional point guard like Michael Carter-Williams to fill that duty, but Kidd on Tuesday said Antetokounmpo will be the team’s primary ball handler next season, notes Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Antetokounmpo and Carter-Williams will both be eligible for rookie scale extensions in the offseason.
Miles Plumlee is fond of the Bucks organization and Kidd admires the center’s perseverance, Gardner notes in the same piece. Plumlee is set for restricted free agency at season’s end.
Some Thunder players still have raw feelings about Reggie Jackson, who pushed his way off the team and into the trade that sent him to the Pistons last season, as Royce Young of ESPN.com details. Russell Westbrook disapproved of Jackson’s animated celebration at the end of Detroit’s win Tuesday over Oklahoma City. “Yeah, I did actually,” Westbrook said. “Honestly, I think that was some real [expletive]. I don’t appreciate it for our team and our organization. I don’t like it at all. But it is what it is. We’ll see him down the line. We’ll take care of that when we get there.”

Central Notes: Brown, Drummond, Gibson, James

March 18th, 2016 at 5:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

Dealing with illness and injury in their backcourt, the Pistons signed Lorenzo Brown today as “insurance,” coach/executive Stan Van Gundy told Aaron McMann of MLive. Starting point guard Reggie Jackson is dealing with a viral issue, while reserve Spencer Dinwiddie is recovering from a deep bone bruise in his ankle. With Steve Blake as the only healthy point guard, the Pistons gave a 10-day contract to Brown, who was playing for the Grand Rapids Drive in the D-League. “I watched Reggie the other night and he was sick, and Spencer’s not 100%,” Van Gundy explained. “You start saying, ‘We might want to get that covered.'” Brown was in Detroit’s training camp before the start of last season had two 10-day contracts with the Suns earlier this year. Van Gundy likes Brown’s familiarity with the Pistons’ system, but he doesn’t plan to use him in a game unless there’s an emergency.

There’s more from Detroit and the rest of the Central Division:

Van Gundy lashed out at his defense, especially center Andre Drummond, after surrendering 118 points in Wednesday’s loss to the Hawks, writes David Mayo of MLive. The coach expects better rim protection from Drummond, who will be a restricted free agent this summer after agreeing to pass on an extension. Drummond is considered a virtual lock to stay with the Pistons on a max contract. “He’s not contesting shots at the rim,” Van Gundy said. “You look at the per-minute stuff and he’s 38th in the league in blocks per minute. I mean that’s just — maybe he can’t be in the top three or four but you don’t need to be 38th.”
Taj Gibson, the subject of trade rumors before last month’s deadline, has emerged as a team leader as a wave of injuries has hit the Bulls, according to Sam Smith of Bulls.com. “This is where young guys have to be veterans, suck it up and do the job,” Gibson said. That’s the way we’ve been playing the last couple of years and what I am trying to transfer to the young guys now.”
Cavaliers star LeBron James has posted another cryptic Instagram message, according to Luke Kerr-Dineen of USA Today Sports’ For The Win. James put together a montage of photos of him, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and others with the message, “Who cares what others say that don’t agree with decisions we make because it doesn’t matter, this is our journey, the path we was giving and we’ll continue to walk it heads high guarding each others back throughout it all!”

Central Notes: Blake, Motiejunas, McRae

March 11th, 2016 at 10:04am CST by Chuck Myron

Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy downplayed the idea of a Brandon Jennings trade in the weeks leading up to the deadline, but Steve Blake nonetheless readied himself for more playing time in case a Jennings trade happened or a deal that sent Blake himself to another team took place, MLive’s David Mayo notes. Of course, the Pistons traded Jennings to the Magic and kept soon-to-be free agent Blake, who’s glad he’s stuck around.

“I easily could have ended up somewhere else,” Blake said, according to Mayo. “I was praying it wouldn’t happen but I knew it could happen. I knew it was a possibility.”

Reggie Jackson is a fan of his backup, acknowledging that he seeks advice from Blake, a 13th-year veteran, as Mayo also relays. See more on the Pistons amid news from the Central Division.

The Pistons aren’t worried about the implications of a grievance that the union is reportedly giving strong consideration to filing in the wake of the voided Donatas Motiejunas trade, Van Gundy said, according to Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. The Pistons want to cultivate a reputation as a player-friendly organization, but they don’t think the flap over the failed deal, which prompted some harsh words from Motiejunas, will hurt the team.
Jordan McRae‘s potential to develop was one of the reasons the Cavaliers signed the 58th overall pick from 2014 to a two-year deal this week, GM David Griffin told Sam Amico of Amico Hoops. The sides decided against a second 10-day contract to strike a long-term deal after only a single 10-day stint. “He has fit in well, understands his role and embraces the opportunity he has to improve,” Griffin said. “Jordan has a unique combination of length and scoring ability, and we are intrigued by his versatility and upside.”
The Bulls have fallen flat this season, but injuries have played a major role in that, and the team would be unwise to execute a major overhaul in the summer, argues Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Jimmy Butler is a legitimate centerpiece and Derrick Rose is probably better than anyone they could trade him for, so the Bulls should concentrate on marginal changes instead, using their rookie contracts and Taj Gibson as trade bait, Berger contends.