RealGM

epheisey wrote:Where's the "I don't know, he hasn't played a single game for this team yet and this is incredibly premature" option........

princeofpalace wrote:Too soon to tell, who knows how he fits with the team and affects floor spacing. I can get behind 2014 Reggie Jackson, but this year Jackson's been doing his best AI Impression.

If Jackson can come in and get his teammates going and not just care about chucking up his own shot and if he can be a respectable 3 point shooter and not a defensive liabibility then yeah he could be our PGOTF. But its best to reserve judgment until he actually plays with this team.

Jacksons court vision nowhere near Jennings so I see little reason to just toss Jennings to the side at this point without seeing what Jackson looks like on this team.

"Two things, more than anything, other than just his overall play," Stan Van Gundy cited about what drew the Pistons to Jackson as a core piece to slot alongside Andre Drummond, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and – if it works out for both sides in free agency – Greg Monroe. "No. 1 is how he's played when he's had the chance to be a starter. He's been outstanding. And how he's played in big games, particularly in playoff games. This is a guy who's been very good. I don't think there was much question around the league as to this guy's ability."

"We wouldn't have made the move we did if we didn't feel ready to make it a long-term commitment," Van Gundy said Friday. "There's no guarantees. He's a (restricted free agent). We know we can keep him through next year no matter what he does, but we feel good about making a long-term commitment to him and hopefully he'll feel real comfortable making a long-term commitment here and we'll get it done.

"We're well aware of that, but (analytics) also shows he's a guy that gets into the paint, he's got a really good in-between game with his floater and he's a very, very good pick-and-roll player. He's got the potential, with his size and athleticism, to be really good defensively. I don't think he's there yet, in watching him, but I think he can be and he's a guy that we think with more minutes is going to be good. When you look at his shooting stroke, there's no problem there. He's an outstanding free-throw shooter. I think (3-point shooting0 will come around. When you're getting one or two attempts a game, that's always a difficult proposition. He's certainly got a lot of growth to go and we're looking forward to going through that process here."

"(General manager) Jeff (Bower) did a great job," Van Gundy said. "All those other (point guards traded on a dizzying deadline day) went for at least one first-round pick somewhere. We were able to stay out of that. Initially they had asked for a first and we stayed out of that – preserve our major assets going forward for a guy we think has a chance to be an outstanding player and fits what we're trying to do really, really well. Great in pick and rolls, bigger, more athletic, somebody we're really excited about."

ackson's 24, the same age as Greg Monroe. Caldwell-Pope turned 22 days ago. Drummond is 21. Monroe will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. The ball's in his court, but the Pistons are a viable option. Van Gundy thought he'd have to wait until July to add another player worthy of being lumped with those three as long-term cornerstones.

They got it done at the trade deadline, and if it wasn't a risk-free move, neither was the toll enough to set them back much if it doesn't flower the way Van Gundy envisions. The adage that the team that gets the best player wins the trade isn't infallible, but it's a pretty good barometer – and the Pistons preserved their future No. 1 picks against long odds.