Reggie Jackson’s back, people! The Pistons are finally whole again and they can make that playoff push that we’ve all been waiting for! They don’t have to play Bruce Brown out of position anymore! With Reggie Jackson and his steady PG play back in the fold, playoffs are not only a possibility, but they’re a guarantee!
The above paragraph would very likely be the sentiment of some Pistons fans if it weren’t for one minor detail that wasn’t included: Blake Griffin is done for the season. Griffin’s doneness and the Pistons doneness with being in playoff contention go hand in hand, so Jackson’s return to the lineup is mostly irrelevant at this point. In fact, Jackson’s return might actually have a detrimental long-term effect on the Pistons, given that his presence will make the Pistons slightly more competitive and less likely to full-on tank for draft positioning.
The other complicating factor is that Jackson’s contract is done at the end of this season. If the Pistons are serious about tanking, they could try to pump up Jackson’s value by having him be the #1 option and then trade him for whatever cool stuff other teams are willing to give up. Some examples of “cool stuff” that could be acquired in a theoretical Reggie Jackson trade include:
-Draft picks and/or pick swaps
-Copy machines
-Cash
-The rights to thirty-year-old Europeans who are never going to play in the NBA
-Marcus Morris
-A big rolling bin to put in the locker room so players can throw their towels in there