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2024 Free Agents - Reggie Jackson

Summary
Jackson was awesome in the 2021 playoffs for the Clippers. He averaged just under 18 points per game, hitting 42% from three (which was actually down from the insane 45% he hit in the '20-'21 regular season) on some tough attempts. When Kawhi Leonard got injured, Jackson especially stepped up his game, becoming the second option next to Paul George. 

Those numbers have regressed since then, as Jackson has only hit 34% from three, and he overall was pretty inefficient with a true shooting of 50%. If '20-'21 was an outlier, which is very possible considering the amount of high-level shooting that occurred that season with no fans in the stands for the majority of the year, Jackson's impact may not be as great going forward.

In his prime years in Detroit, Jackson was a solid pick-and-roll lead guard, but he has now transitioned into a more secondary role, in which he has thrived at times as a secondary playmaker and spot-up shooter. However, he has struggled to finish in the paint for most of his career since he isn't the most athletic and doesn't have a ton of craft to finish below the rim. If he gets even worse inside as he ages into his mid-30s, that will really hurt him. He also takes quite a few midrange jumpers, and has only hit them at a 40% clip over the past three seasons.

Defensively, Jackson fit in pretty well with the Clippers' long, switchable scheme, and could play a similar role elsewhere. He has decent size at 6'3" but also has a long wingspan, allowing him to guard up a position if necessary. He doesn't get steals or blocks at a good rate, but can be a solid defender when he locks in. 

Jackson will be 34 years old as a free agent in 2024, so I don't expect him to get any long-term offers. He wasn't able to get any real minutes for the Nuggets in the 2023 playoffs, but played a bigger role in the '23-'24 season and played decently, scoring somewhat efficiently and having some big games when Jamal Murray was injured.
 
Cap Considerations
Jackson has a $5.3 million player option for '24-'25, and if he opts out he will be an unrestricted free agent with a $6.5 million cap hold and Early Bird rights. Since the Nuggets will be operating over the salary cap, they will retain Jackson's Early Bird rights until he is re-signed or signs elsewhere. The Nuggets could offer Jackson a starting salary of up to 5% more than the average salary (likely around $13 million) using the Early Bird exception, which will be more than enough should they wish to bring him back.

Other teams will have multiple ways to sign Jackson as even teams without cap space could use the Non-Taxpayer MLE, Room MLE, or possibly even the Taxpayer MLE to sign him. It's unlikely that Jackson would opt out and take less than the Taxpayer MLE.

Potential Teams: Nuggets, Timberwolves, Suns, Wizards, Mavericks

Predicted Contract: Opt In: $5.3 million
If opt out: 2-year, $12 million with the Nuggets

Actual Contract: Opt In: $5.3 million
Jackson opted in as expected, and was traded to the Hornets, where he agreed to a buyout and joined the 76ers on a minimum contract.

Last updated: 7/23/2024

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