Our exit interview series on the 2023 Clippers season kicks off with a review of former starting point guard Reggie Jackson.

Basic Information

Height: 6’2

Weight: 208 pounds

Position: Point Guard

Age: 33

Years in NBA: 12

Key Stats: 10.9 points, 3.5 assists, 2.2 rebounds, 0.7 steals, and 1.8 turnovers in 25.7 minutes per game across 52 games played (38 starts) on 41.8/35/92.4 shooting splits (52.3 True Shooting)

Expectations

While there was some thought that John Wall could challenge Reggie for the starting point guard spot on the Clippers, the wide expectation was that Reggie would remain the starter. The hope was that with Kawhi Leonard back and Paul George healthy, Reggie would be able to return the low-usage, high-efficiency tertiary ball-handler and off-ball player he was in the 2021 season rather than the high-volume gunner he was forced to be in 2022.

In terms of broad expectations, the arrival of Wall meant the hope that Reggie’s minutes could be pruned a bit to keep him fresh and healthy. On offense, Reggie would provide lights-out catch-and-shoot shooting from three, some downhill pressure off the dribble, and some playmaking. Defensively, nobody pretended Reggie would be a stopper, but with less offensive burden should have come some slightly stouter defense.

Reality

Sadly, very few of those expectations came to pass. Reggie’s efficiency did rise quite a bit compared to last year, but remained poor overall. After winning the starting point guard battle in training camp, Reggie seemed a bit pressed, maybe because of Wall metaphorically breathing down his back. He was awful in October, averaging just 9.1 points per game on horrific 42.6% True Shooting, and looking very out of sorts. He returned to form in a major way in November, by far his best month of the year, scoring 14 points on 59.1 True Shooting while dishing 4.8 assists. Kawhi missed the month with his knee flare-up, and honestly, it’s possible that Reggie almost felt more comfortable with Kawhi out again.

Unfortunately, it was all down hill from there, with Reggie’s scoring average and efficiency trickling down each month the rest of the way. Despite shooting the ball ok from three, Reggie’s burst and ability to get downhill was just never consistently present, harming a Clippers’ offense that desperately needed some juice and wasn’t getting any from Wall either. On defense, after a solid start to the year, Reggie slipped, much like the entire rest of the team.

Finally, in early January, after the Clippers lost six games in a row, Reggie was benched, moving from the starting role all the way to DNP-CD for two games. He then returned to the rotation off the bench, with Wall taking his spot in street clothes, but never regained his footing outside of a three-game stretch late in January, and a particularly poor start to February probably sealed his fate. Reggie was traded to the Hornets for Mason Plumlee to plug the Clippers’ hole at backup center, while Wall and Luke Kennard were also dished, completely overhauling the Clippers’ guard rotation.

Reggie Jackson remained beloved by most Clippers’ fans to the end, who acknowledged that Reggie had declined, but also recognized that he was being asked to do too much just a year after carrying the Clippers to a winning record and play-in appearance. While Reggie isn’t out of the league yet, it wouldn’t be shocking if he wasn’t in the NBA next year, and to go from being a high-volume starter to that level of irrelevance is very sad. I do think Reggie still can offer a team some backup point guard minutes, and indeed probably could have done so for the Clippers, but it was time for a change.

Future with Clippers

Reggie Jackson is out of Michael Malone’s rotation in Denver, and doesn’t look close to re-entering it in this playoff run. Aged 33, Reggie probably can still stick around the NBA another year or two as a depth piece, but it seems likely his starting days are over. For the Clippers, I don’t think Reggie burned any bridges, but the Clips need to get younger, and there’s no doubt things ended on a bit of a sour note. It’s possible that Reggie will make his way back to the Clippers, but it’s probably fairly unlikely. I just hope that he has a nice last year or two before retirement, and maybe even gets a ring on this year’s Nuggets squad.

Clippers 2023 Season Exit Interview: Reggie Jackson
Robert Flom

Our 2022-2023 player season preview series continues with fan-favorite Reggie Jackson.

Basic Information

Height: 6’2

Weight: 208 pounds

Position: Point Guard

Age: 32

Years in NBA: 11

Key Stats: 16.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.8 blocks in 31.2 minutes per game across 75 games played with 39.2/32.6/84.7 shooting splits.

Contract Status: Guaranteed $11,215,260, final year of a two-year deal.

Expectations

The main expectation for Reggie Jackson with a healthy roster and the addition of John Wall is some much needed rest along with a reduced role. Last season, Jackson averaged a career-high in minutes per game that also coincided with some of the lowest shooting numbers of his career. He dealt with a bout of Covid and with numerous players in and out of the lineup, but regardless, Jackson was relied upon heavily throughout the season.

For much of the year, Jackson was the only reliable scoring threat as well as the team’s only capable point guard and playmaker. He was overworked and overused out of necessity. Despite that, he gave it his all each and every game and firmly established himself as a fan-favorite. For the most part, he has thrived in whatever role the Clippers have asked of him and he’s credited head coach Tyronn Lue with saving his career.

This season, he’ll have some competition from Wall in training camp for the starting point guard position. He’s fully earned the right to compete for a starting role. But whatever role he ends up with, whether that’s as a starter or coming off the bench and anchoring the second unit, look for Jackson’s minutes to decrease and his production to go up as he hopefully won’t be asked to take on such a heavy load with a fully healthy roster.

Strengths

Perhaps the biggest strength of Jackson’s doesn’t have anything to do with on court production. He has really emerged as a leader of this team, and his upbeat personality is infectious. He’s mentioned postgame before that his mentality is to never get too high and never get too low, and the team has really adopted that mindset. Jackson’s veteran hand has been instrumental in some of the big comebacks the Clippers have had over the past couple of seasons. He’s an amazing locker room guy and the team and the home crowd feed off his energy.

Aside from last season, Jackson has been a fairly dependable three-point shooter. During the 2020-21 season, he shot 43.3 percent from distance and during the 2019-20 season he shot 41.3 percent after being bought out by the Detroit Pistons and signing with the Clippers. Throughout the 2021 playoffs, Jackson was one of the team’s most consistent three-point shooters, especially off the catch. With Kawhi Leonard and Paul George back in the lineup as the primary ball handlers and creators, Jackson should thrive playing more off-ball and getting open looks from three.

Jackson has always been a reliable playmaker as well. Early in his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Jackson was always looked at as a scoring point guard, but his assist numbers have always been around the four to five per game mark. He’ll never be mistaken for one of the league’s elite playmakers but he gets the job done. He knows how to get others involved and his 16.3 shot attempts per game last season was more so out of necessity. He can certainly help get the ball to Leonard and George in positions for them to be most effective.

He’s a clutch shot maker as well. He’s not afraid of the big moment and more than capable of knocking down a dagger if that’s what the moment calls for. He had a pair of game-winning shots this season against the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers. If Leonard and George draw the defense and need to kick the ball out to open shooter, Jackson is more than ready to knock it down.

Weaknesses

One of the areas that the Clippers desperately lacked in without Leonard and George was the ability to attack downhill and get to the basket consistently. At times, Jackson is able to break down the defense and get to the rim, but sometimes it isn’t as consistent as you would expect. He was one of the only options the Clippers had last season as a downhill threat but what’s stymied him sometimes is his decision making and shot selection. Again though, he was overworked and thrust into a different role due to necessity. With a full lineup, look for his decision making to improve.

Defensively has been one area of concern for Jackson throughout his career but since he’s been a Clipper, it hasn’t been that much of an issue. The Clippers have been one of the best defensive teams in the NBA the past couple of seasons and Jackson has done his part. He’ll never be confused for All-Defensive level player, but that part of his game is not so much a concern as it once was.

Summary

In all, look for Reggie Jackson to have a bounce-back 2023 season with improved efficiency. He does well playing off the Clippers star players as he did in the 2021 playoffs, and he will benefit tremendously from a reduced role. He’ll be asked to handle the ball at times and run the offense but look for a lot of catch and shoot opportunities with solid percentages from three-point range should he be playing with the starters. If he does come off the bench, look for him to settle into a Sixth Man type role where he can provide instant offense in spurts and help strengthen the Clippers second unit.

Clippers 2022-2023 Season Preview: Reggie Jackson
David Yapkowitz

Our staff roundtable grades continue with a look at Reggie Jackson, a fan favorite and the 2022 Clippers’ starting point guard.

Kenneth Armstrong: A-

There was way too much asked of Reggie this year. And last year’s playoffs set the expectations way too high. Nonetheless, I think Reggie deserves an A- for a few reasons: 1) He played 75 games, which is pretty incredible considering his age and how hard COVID hit the LA Clippers (as well as the league as a whole). In those 75 games, he averaged 31 minutes, which is the most he’s played since his second year with Detroit eight years ago. 2) He was a leader. We often talk about “vibes” at 213 Hoops, but Reggie brought much more than just good feelings. He was the emotional leader—especially when PG went down with his elbow injury—and was the team’s voice of reason throughout the year. 3) He made being a Clippers fan fun this year. I was lucky enough to go to the majority of the home games and there were so many moments during which Reggie got the crowd going. Whether it’s “Reggie, Reggie” chants, dancing with Chuck the Condor, or hitting big shots against the Lakers, Reggie put a smile on many, many faces within Clippers Nation.

As you can tell, I’m going with emotion on this grade. But here’s a fact: Eric Bledsoe made $18 million this year to Reggie’s $10.3M. And I think if you look at the guys around Reggie’s salary range and age (Deandre Jordan, Jeremy Lamb, Serge Ibaka, Terrence Ross), you have to be satisfied with where Reggie ended up this year in respect to production. 

Lucas Hann: B+

Man, I STRUGGLE with this one.  Reggie really didn’t have a good year in his role.  Number 1 options shouldn’t shoot below 40% from the field… really, no NBA player should shoot below 40% from the field, unless MAYBE they exclusively take threes and hit like 38% of them and don’t take enough twos to pull the overall FG% up.  That’s not what happened here.  But Reggie also played about 1.5x the minutes this season as he did last year, AND had 1.5x the usage.  He was everything, all of the time for the Clippers’ offense, and he had to be, because the other players who you would have hoped would step up their creative duties without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George were mostly content to just play off of Reggie.  Him probably being the worst offensive centerpiece in the NBA was clearly the Clippers’ biggest weakness this year, but him not doing his absolute best in a role that nobody else on the roster was equipped to even attempt likely made him the most important player in LAC finding the 42 wins that they did.  So… B+, I guess?

Shapan Debnath: B+

Is it weird to give a guy that had Reggie’s splits this high of a grade? I don’t think so. Despite a clear drop off in efficiency, Reggie’s usage and responsibilities spiked, as he was often the only point guard on the team. He did everything that was asked of him without a complaint, kept the team afloat with huge shot making when needed, and was the lifeline of the offense all season with his playmaking. Reggie was the most important Clipper this year, and he damn near dragged them to the playoffs too.

Robert Flom: B+

Reggie Jackson had a fascinating 2022 season. As others said above, and as I wrote in his exit interview, he was overall a negative impact player by most stats due to his horrendous scoring efficiency and below-average defense. However, that removes all context from the situation – his being the only true shot creator or starting-level ballhandler for much of the season, the ravages of injury, and his status as a symbol of the new Clippers era. Considering the role he was thrust into, I can’t imagine him realistically playing much better – he’s simply not a number one NBA option, and shouldn’t be a second option either. Because of that, Reggie Jackson solidly exceeded expectations and earned a B+ for his 2022 campaign.

David Mendez-Yapkowitz: B

Across the board, Jackson’s shooting numbers were down compared to his career averages. But with Reggie Jackson, the 2022 season context is incredibly important. His 31.2 minutes per game is the second-highest mark for his career. Somebody needed to take shots on this team and Reggie was thrown into the fire so to speak. He’s become the heart and soul of this team. He’s arguably the most beloved player on the team by the fan base. Nic Batum said it best back in November, “Reggie can go 1-10, then he just makes a layup and the crowd starts yelling ‘Reggie, Reggie.’ He’s done everything the Clippers have asked of him plus more. He is the ideal point guard for this team by being able to play off Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, as we saw in the 2021 playoffs. Unfortunately, those guys missed nearly the entire season. But put him alongside those guys again and watch his efficiency improve.

Ralston Dacanay: B+

Reggie Jackson is likely the guy on the roster that got dealt the worst hand this 2022 season. Heading into a shorthanded campaign without Kawhi Leonard, it was expected for Reggie to pick up more responsibility on the offensive end. However, with Paul George missing 51 games, Eric Bledsoe being shipped off midseason, and Norman Powell missing 22 contests, Jackson was forced to take a hyper-elevated role all year as one of the few players on the roster who could go downhill and create shots. His shooting efficiency was rough to start the year, and with few moments to catch his breath and rest his legs, as well as there being no let-up in opponents’ scouting reports as the season trudged along, Reggie could rarely find himself having an easy night offensively the rest of the way. As discussed pretty often as well though, while his lows could be really low, his highs were dramatically high too, with Reggie heroically carrying LAC to upset wins against a handful of conference rivals. Somehow, someway, Jackson and the Clippers still managed to post a 42-40 record in this roller coaster of a year. Unfortunately for Jackson, as has been the case throughout his tenure with the Clippers, upgrading the point guard spot is a dialogue that will continue to take place when it comes to this team, fair or not. Personally, I just can’t forget the last playoff run PG and Reggie put up and I think he’s proven he can be a big-time player in critical moments. This season was just brutal for Jackson’s workload, and I would not mind seeing the reloaded Clippers run it back with the fan favorite as a starter next season.

Cole Huff: B

I was someone who was maybe a little bit too tough on Reggie from the onset. I was unforgiving of his frequent highs and lows and held him to a higher standard as a player that this iteration of the Clippers needed more from if they wanted their season to go a certain way. But lost in my assessment of Reggie at the time was that he’s not, and hasn’t ever been that top option who should be relied upon for consistently playing good basketball. And that’s my fault. 

So now that I look back on his season, I can see how important his sheer availability was on a nightly basis, even if the production wasn’t always there. I’ll appreciate his willingness to step into leadership roles both on and off the court this year as well. Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to the more efficient, reduced role Reggie once the team hopefully has health on its side.

Reggie Jackson: A-

I’ll start off by saying I grade based on more than just homework and participation; I grade on heart too. Reggie was undoubtedly the heart of this team in the Clippers’ first season without Patrick Beverley. Statistically, his efficiency plummeted without Kawhi and PG13 there, but that was more or less expected. And so he remained a fan favorite, in large part because of his abilities in the clutch. His game winner against Orlando was surreal, and repeated heroics late in games had him for large portions of the season among the league leaders in 4th quarter scoring, ending up above the likes of Karl-Anthony Town, Bradley Beal, and Jimmy Butler. Ultimately the Clippers ship sailed where Reggie steered them, with a 16-7 record when Reggie scored 20 or more. He did all that we could ask of him, and he did it with an infectious smile on his face. When Kawhi and Paul return, he’ll be back in his element, but until then: vibe on.

What do you think about Reggie Jackson’s 2022 season? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

213 Hoops 2022 Season Player Grade Roundtable: Reggie Jackson
Robert Flom

Our exit interview series at 213 Hoops continues with a look at the 2022 season of Clippers’ starting point guard Reggie Jackson.

Basic Information

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 208 pounds

Position: Point Guard

Age: 32

Years in the NBA: 11

Key Stats: 16.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 0.7 steals in 31.1 minutes per game across 75 games played on 39.2% shooting from the field (43.9% on 2s), 32.8% on threes (6.8 attempts), and 84.7% from the free throw line (2.2 attempts) for a 48.8 TS%.

Expectations

Reggie Jackson was expected to be the co-scoring second banana to Paul George (alongside Marcus Morris) and second ball-handler (behind PG) for the Clippers without Kawhi Leonard after his excellent 2021 playoff run and the trade of Pat Beverley. Statistically, scoring in the mid to high teens with a handful of assists on decent efficiency and good off-ball shooting playing off George would probably have been the average prediction for Reggie’s production preseason. Reggie was also expected to be a leader in the locker room, a joyous presence on the court and fan favorite, and someone who would hit big shots for the Clippers.

Reality

Well, some of those expectations came to reality. Reggie did average numbers similar to those predicted. He did continue to endear himself to the fanbase with clutch shotmaking, his unique on court presence and personality, and overall reliability. However, almost none of that came as Paul George’s sidekick. Instead, as PG missed well over half the year, Reggie Jackson took the reins of the offense, serving as the team’s lead scorer and playmaker for most of the 2022 season. The results were fairly good overall production, but on horrible scoring efficiency – Reggie is simply not cut out to be the lead option on a team, and is probably better served as the third or even fourth option. When teams could focus in on stopping him, they were largely able to do so, as Reggie was barely able to get to the line and settled increasingly for stepback jumpers with no other options.

There was other weirdness, as well. Paul George was by no means the only Clipper to miss significant time, as Terance Mann was the lone Clipper to play more than 80 games, and only six logged more than 60. Players going in and out of the rotation and lineup due to injury, poor play, and trades meant for a constant learning and adaptative experience, which was difficult for everyone, but especially so for Reggie, who had to learn different player and lineup tendencies all year. The start of the year was also an adjustment, as Ty Lue (confusingly to this day) started Reggie and Eric Bledsoe together in a two-guard alignment alongside Paul George, reducing the ball-handling loan of each player and cramping spacing. In short, even outside of being overburdened as the first option, this was a year with many oddities and hindrances for Reggie.

All that said, Reggie played his heart out. He led the team in minutes played (by 20 over Terance Mann), scoring (1263 total points, with Mann next at just 872), and assists (359, with the departed Bledsoe at 225). He incredibly took nearly twice as many shots as the next closest Clippers combined, hurling 1222 attempts compared to 691 for Marcus Morris and 690 for Mann. And while some of those were the usual ill-advised Reggie heat checks, on many possessions there were genuinely no better options. Reggie had to shoot that much for the Clippers to score, and, somehow, they were able to secure a winning record at 42-40. Despite the hideous efficiency, Reggie carried this team on offense this year.

In the end though, despite further cementing Reggie as a fan-favorite, there’s even less to take from this season for Reggie than most other Clippers. He’s not an improving young guy like Terance Mann or Luke Kennard, a sparkling rookie like Brandon Boston Jr., or even a new player of interest like Robert Covington. He’s a 32 year old point guard who was asked to play a role very different than the one he will play on a hopefully healthy Clippers roster next season, where he will be behind Kawhi Leonard, George, and Norm Powell in the offensive pecking order. We didn’t learn much about Reggie that we didn’t already know, but that doesn’t matter. What he did was plenty good enough.

Future with Clippers

Reggie has one more season left on his deal at just over $11M, a reasonable price for a very good backup and below-average but acceptable starting point guard. More importantly, he’s beloved by the team, the locker room, and fans. Now, this front office has traded fan favorites before (Pat and Lou Williams come to mind), and if they can get a big upgrade, they’ll make it. But neither of those guys were one of Paul George’s best friends, nor were they players who had left very positive impressions in their most recent playoff performances (no, the play-in this year doesn’t count). Really, Reggie just has more value to the Clippers than he does elsewhere and feels like a Clippers’ lifer (though the same also felt true of Pat and Lou).

In short, while a Reggie trade is not unbelievable (like a Kawhi Leonard trade would be), it seems very unlikely that he’ll get moved elsewhere. If anything, I think the Clippers and Reggie might work on an extension of some kind to keep him with the Clippers longer-term. Hopefully that’s the case, because as strange as it sounds considering he’s been on the team for just over two seasons, it would be very weird to see Reggie in another jersey. For now, hopefully Reggie Jackson is able to get some rest after a taxing 2022 season – he’s more than earned it.

Clippers 2022 Season Exit Interview: Reggie Jackson
Robert Flom

Our 2021-2022 player season preview series continues with playoff hero and Clippers’ fan favorite Reggie Jackson, who’s projected to be the Clips’ starting point guard.

Basic Information

Height: 6’2

Weight: 208 pounds

Position: Point Guard

Age: 31

Years in NBA: 10

Key Stats: 10.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 0.6 steals in 23 minutes per game across 67 games played (43 started) on 45/43.3/81.7 shooting splits (57.6 TS%) in the 2021 regular season

17.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 0.9 steals in 32.7 minutes per game across 19 games played (17 started) on 48.4/40.8/87.8 shooting splits (62.6 TS%) in the 2021 playoffs

Contract Status: In the first year of a 2 year, $21.6M deal making $10.4M this year

Expectations

Coming off a solid 2021 regular season and an otherworldly playoff run, Reggie Jackson was rewarded with a two year, $21.6M deal this offseason to keep him in a Clippers’ jersey. Reggie is projected to be the Clippers’ starting point guard during the 2022 season, even after the acquisition of former Clips’ guard Eric Bledsoe a few weeks back.

The expectations for Reggie Jackson are fairly simple, but also might be a bit high. With Kawhi Leonard out for much if not all of the season, Reggie will be asked to steer the Clippers’ offense as Paul George’s co-pilot. With Lou Williams gone, Reggie will likely have to be the Clippers’ second scorer (and playmaker) behind George, a big role increase after Reggie was a bench player and fill-in starter during his first two seasons on the Clips. Reggie will be asked to hit open threes, run the offense (especially when George is off the floor), create shots for others via downhill attacks, and score on his own. In short, Reggie has a lot to do, and if the Clippers exceed expectations this year, Reggie will probably be a big reason why.

Strengths

Fascinatingly, Reggie Jackson’s biggest strength was on of his biggest weaknesses in his early years in the NBA: three-point shooting. Over his first two seasons in Oklahoma City, Jackson shot 22% from deep on a paltry 1.5 attempts per game. He was a non-threat. Over his next few seasons in Detroit, he worked his way up to being a league average shooter on a decent volume. And then, finally, in the past three years across both Detroit and Los Angeles, Reggie has become an excellent three-point shooter on fairly high volume. Most importantly, Reggie is a marksman from the top of the key and the wings, not just the corners, and has developed a pull-up game (though he’s still better off the catch). This makes him a perfect fit as an off-ball player next to Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, though he will presumably receive less of those shots next year as he will be handling the ball more with Kawhi out.

Just as critically, Reggie was the one Clippers’ guard last year (until Terance Mann surged down the stretch) outside of Lou Williams at times who was able to get to the rim. Nearly 19% of his shots were taken from 0-3 feet, and another 17% were in the 3-10 foot range. Reggie’s ability to blow by defenders on the perimeter and get the defense collapsing or into rotation was invaluable, especially in the playoffs against the Jazz, when he repeatedly waltzed by Utah’s perimeter defenders and forced Rudy Gobert to commit to him, facilitating switches and scrambled defenses. While Eric Bledsoe should help somewhat in the halfcourt creation element, Reggie’s drives to the rim will still be important for the Clippers.

And, speaking of the Jazz, Reggie’s playoff performance has to count for something. Sure, he was on a heater that is not replicable. And sure, it’s a small sample size anyway. But when the Clippers needed him most, Reggie Jackson stepped up huge, and that’s something that can’t just be brushed away. The Clippers know they can rely on Reggie when the chips are down.

Finally, by all accounts, Reggie has been a great locker room presence for the Clippers. He’s a very close friend of Paul George, which helps, but he seems beloved by teammates and has earned plaudits for his cheerfulness and positivity.

Weaknesses

Reggie’s biggest weakness is probably on the defensive end. He’s not atrocious there, but he’s far from good. His stature means he can’t switch onto larger wings (see Doncic, Luka), and he’s not quick enough to keep up with the speediest point guards. In lineups with the likes of Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Nic Batum, and Terance Mann, Reggie is therefore frequently the soft spot that opposing offenses attack. It’s not all bad – Reggie tries hard and generally knows where to be in the context of a team defense – but his defense won’t get any better, and he’s already pretty bad there.

The other big drawback with Reggie is decision-making. He has a ton of confidence, which is great, but that can also lead to terrible pull-up threes in transition when his team has an advantage, or a possession that’s just him dribbling for 15 seconds before chucking a shot. His first half-season with the Clippers it seemed he could never execute on fastbreaks, and that was all tied to his decision-making.

Similarly, Reggie’s not a great playmaker. He can run a pick and roll, and get the offense into sets, but he will rarely manipulate a defense in the way that truly great playmakers do. The Clippers haven’t needed him to do that, because Kawhi and Paul George are cheat codes on offense, but if the Clippers ask too much of Reggie as a playmaker, there’s a chance things could go sideways. Really, my guess is that George is the one who really steps up, but things could get… interesting if Reggie’s playmaking is relied upon too heavily.

Summary

Reggie Jackson is lined up to have a big season with the Clippers, and could further his reputation as a Clippers’ legend if the Clippers overperform on expectations. However, there’s also a lot of pressure on Reggie, and it’s possible there’s some backlash if he doesn’t live up to his increased role. His shooting, confidence, and good vibes will be there, but can he sustain an entire season as a second or third option with no Kawhi Leonard? It remains to be seen, but hopefully Reggie has a strong 2022 season and helps keep the Clips afloat with Kawhi Leonard out.

Clippers 2021-2022 Season Preview: Reggie Jackson
Robert Flom

Next up in our 213 Hoops roundtable series on the Clippers’ offseason is the signing of Reggie Jackson to a 2 year, $21M deal.

Ralston Dacanay: A+

As someone who honestly had major doubts about bringing back Reggie Jackson last summer, I cannot overstate how much I’ve grown to love having him on the team. He’s a great locker room guy, great with the media and was great when the lights shine the brightest in his first year under head coach Ty Lue. LAC also simply couldn’t replace him this summer if he were to have walked, and the deal being two years instead of the maximum 4-year capacity is a steal as well. Hell yeah.

Shapan Debnath: A

This deal ended up as good as you could expect: the right number of years in a very tidy contract. I felt like this really satisfied all parties, and it was nice to see everyone so excited for Reggie after having gone through so much doubt amongst the fanbase, myself included.

Joey Linn: A+

Once Kawhi Leonard went down, Reggie Jackson proved his ability to be a legitimate second scoring option behind Paul George. While there was some speculation that his otherworldly shooting accuracy was a product of no fans, he continued his dominance once arenas filled up again. Being able to retain him was a huge victory for the Clippers and their hopes of being competitive without Kawhi next season. After Kawhi Leonard’s injury, Reggie Jackson averaged 21.4 PPG on 49% from the field, and was incredibly clutch every time the Clippers needed him to be. After opening up about what the Clippers meant to him, it felt essential that the Clippers bring Reggie back.

Kenneth Armstrong: B+

I am happy that Reggie is coming back and think the two-year agreement balances stability for the Clippers and Reggie’s ability to seek another deal after (hopefully) two more years of solid play. My only concern is that this contract could look a little reactionary in a few months. Although Reggie was awesome during the playoffs, year after year, players fail to live up to contacts that are given based on a limited sample of great play. It won’t be Reggie’s fault if his athleticism regresses a little or if his production declines because teams start game planning for him, but it is a real possibility. In the end, though, the Clippers brought back a solid starting point guard, who happens to be a fan favorite, on a favorable deal. That’s more than a passing grade. 

Thomas Wood: A

A player coming off of a notable postseason performance often gets paid like he’s established a new level of play. What I love about this deal for the Clippers is that it doesn’t pay for the Reggie of the last six weeks; it pays for the Reggie of the last season and a half. He’s a knockdown shooter now, which makes him a capable starter, and capable starters on the open market generally make at least this much. The two-year term limits the downside. Maybe Reggie only chose to stay because his other options dried up. It doesn’t matter from the Clippers’ perspective. They could’ve lost him for nothing; instead, they’ve retained a key piece at a palatable number.

Cole Huff: A

First and foremost, shoutout to Reggie Jackson on a tremendous season. I happily ate my words with each passing game throughout the calendar, and I nearly became a Reggie stan by the end of the playoffs. He was undoubtedly the Clippers’ best and most reliable guard all season long and often shined when the lights were the brightest — so much so that we grew slightly afraid that he might have played his way out of the Clips’ price range. But fear not, Reggie is here to stay, much to the delight of the fanbase and likely everyone within the organization. Surely Paul George’s relationship with Reggie factored into the deal that he ended up taking, but credit the organization from top to bottom — as Reggie did on occasion — for allowing him to find joy in basketball once again while being himself as a player. Nevertheless, the front office was able to retain him without shoveling out an excessive amount of money, or years, in order to do so. He should still be equally as good of a player over the next two years before hitting any age-related issues down the road. I like the deal.

Robert Flom: A-

Reggie Jackson was a solid rotation-level guy for the Clippers last regular season, and then elevated to legitimate star-level play in the postseason. It’s unreasonable to expect that type of performance to carry over, but even if Jackson just replicates his regular season numbers, his contract is fine, if not amazing. Add in the fact that he’s great friends with Paul George and a good presence in the locker room, and that he’s a proven player under playoff pressure, and you have a player that should be worth the contract and dollar amount. The fact that the Clippers only signed him for two years and not the maximum of four he was eligible for is a huge boon, as Reggie is 31 and will probably be on the downslope of his career from here out. Good to have him back.

Michelle Uzeta: A

Love, love, love the fact that the Clippers re-signed Reggie. Action Jackson was an unexpected boon for the Clippers during the 2020-21 season and stepped-up tremendously after the squad lost Kawhi Leonard in the playoffs. Jackson averaged 17.8 points per game on 48.4 percent shooting in the post-season, effectively filling part of the scoring void created by Leonard’s early exit. 

Jackson brings a lot of the same grit and grind mentality to Los Angeles that Patrick Beverley did. He is an energy guy, and not afraid of the big moments. And boy did Jackson have a LOT of big moments this past season, particularly hitting meaningful, game-changing daggers. Mr. June shot 43.3 percent from beyond the arc during the regular season and 40.8 percent in the playoffs.  

One of the things that most impressed me about Reggie’s play this season was the restraint he exhibited on the court. In the 2019-20 bubble, he sometimes exhibited poor judgment and a lack of control when handing the ball. Those issues did not bleed into 2020-21, and I credit Ty Lue and the coaching staff for facilitating that improvement.  

With Kawhi’s status for the 2021-22 season unknown, Reggie will once again play a meaningful and central role for the Clippers. In addition to his own contributions, it certainly doesn’t hurt that Jackson has a fantastic relationship with Paul George, and has been PG-13’s biggest hype man. That relationship has been great for George’s mental game and for the franchise generally. 

Whether Reggie can replicate and improve on last season’s performance over the course of the upcoming 82 game season has yet to be seen, but there is no question that he is excelling in his current situation, and no reason to think he won’t continue on a solid path.

Let us know your thoughts on the Reggie Jackson signing in the comments below!

213 Hoops Roundtable: Reggie Jackson Signing
Robert Flom

After days of quiet, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN broke the news that the Clippers will re-sign starting point guard Reggie Jackson to a 2 year, $22M deal. This is the largest amount that the Clippers could offer Reggie due to bird rights, but the two years is a big win for the Clips, as Reggie could have received up to a four-year deal.

Reggie had a solid 2021 season, scoring 10.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 23 minutes per game while shooting 45% from the field, 43.3% from three, and 81.7% from the free throw line. However, he ascended in the playoffs, showing up spectacularly as the Clippers’ third scorer and playmaker by averaging 17.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists on 48.4% shooting, 40.8% from three, and 87.8% from the line. Along the way, he hit clutch shot after clutch shot, carrying the Clippers frequently in desperate 4th quarter situations and earning the love of Clippers’ fans.

Considering his play last year, and his age at 31 years, the contract for Reggie is solid. There’s a good chance he regresses somewhat next year, and he certainly won’t consistently play to the level he did in the playoffs, but he’s a nice rotation player who fits excellently with the rest of the Clippers.

With the chase to re-sign Reggie Jackson complete, the Clippers now just have two remaining boxes to check this offseason. First is bringing back Kawhi Leonard. This is all but guaranteed, and will almost certainly be on a 1+1 max deal. The second is to sign someone to the tax-payer mid level exception (TPMLE), which they have available due to Nic Batum taking a paycut. Their options are very limited at this point, but there are always trades to make to clear roster room or bring in a backup forward, so keep an eye there as well.

Welcome back Reggie!

Clippers Will Re-Sign Reggie Jackson to 2 Year Deal
Robert Flom

Now that the Clippers’ 2020 season has reached its disappointing end, 213Hoops will work through the roster player-by-player for our “Exit Interview” series. Today’s exit interview features backup point guard Reggie Jackson.

Basic Information

Height: 6’3

Weight: 208 pounds

Position: Point guard

Age: 30

Years in NBA: 9

Regular Season Stats with Clippers: 9.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 0.3 steals in 21.3 minutes per game across 17 games (6 started) on 45.3/41.3/90.5 shooting splits.

Playoff Stats: 4.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, 0.9 assists, and 0.2 steals in 14.2 minutes per game across 12 games (1 started) on 43.8/53.1/0 shooting splits.

Contract Status: Unrestricted free agent

Expectations

When the Clippers signed Reggie Jackson off the waiver wire, the expectations were that he’d take over the backup point guard role on the Clippers, and fill in as a spot starter for the inevitable Pat Beverley absences. While he was overpaid and frequently disappointing on the Pistons, he’d still been (mostly) a starter for around half a decade, making him a seemingly overqualified backup.

While Jackson’s predilections for sloppy play and poor defense were known, the thought was that a lesser role would enable Jackson to focus on scoring and limit his need to create for others. This would make him another scoring threat off an already potent Clippers bench, and allow him to play at least limited playoff minutes.

The contrasting expectation was that almost no waiver wire players ever truly help playoff teams, and that Jackson would be no different. While talented, he’s had issues with role and decision-making his whole career, and there wasn’t much evidence that he would be able to adjust on the Clippers.

Reality

Jackson’s Clipper tenure started off great. In the nine games he played before the Covid-19 shutdown in March, the Clippers went 7-2, and looked better than they had all season. While Jackson wasn’t the sole (or primary) cause of this run, he was legitimately a key piece on the Clippers team at that time. His numbers weren’t incredible, but he provided efficient scoring, helped take the playmaking and ball-handling load off of Lou Williams’ shoulders, and created a lot of dribble penetration that therefore led to ball movement. All was well.

Until it wasn’t. The first few games of the bubble were fine, but when Pat Beverley had to leave Orlando to attend to a personal matter, Jackson was pressed into starting duties, and it was clear how overmatched he was. The only thing he was successful at in the starting lineup was hitting spot up threes. His defense was poor, his decision-making on offense was worse, and he made some truly unforced turnovers at the worst moments. Clippers fans, who had warmed up to Jackson at the expense of the slumping Landry Shamet, quickly flipped their tune, and were soon calling for more minutes for the younger player.

However, while Jackson’s primary utility might have been as a guy to soak up regular season minutes, he was pressed into major duty in the playoffs after Beverley got injured in Game 1 against the Mavericks. He started Game 2, and while his numbers were fine, his poor defense saw him demoted for the rest of the series. That didn’t mean his minutes were reduced, though, as Jackson played over 20 minutes in Games 4-6. He was scorching from deep in those games, combining to shoot 11/18 from three, a ridiculous percentage given the volume. His performances in Games 4 and 5 were mostly fine, but Doc Rivers sticking him in for a final defensive possession in Game 4 (which resulted in Doncic burying a game-winning three against him) was a portent of poor coaching decisions to come.

Pat Beverley returned against the Nuggets, and Jackson’s role was slashed. After being a virtual non-entity in Games 1 and 2, he was reduced to a handful of minutes in Game 3. With the Clippers clearly in a dogfight, Doc Rivers cut Jackson out of the minutes, giving him just spot minutes in Games 4 and 6 and not playing him in Game 5 at all. In desperation, Doc turned to Jackson in Game 7, but he contributed nothing on offense while getting torched on defense, closing with a -9 in just over four minutes of playing time. And thus, Reggie’s season ended.

Future with Clippers

It’s honestly kind of difficult to predict what Jackson’s future with the Clippers might be. On one hand, he gave them some legitimately good regular season minutes, and was one of the few Clippers to actually hit threes in the postseason. On the other hand, he displayed that he’s not someone that can truly be counted on in a real postseason role, much less as a replacement starter. That makes re-signing him a very, very low priority.

Ultimately, if the Clippers do keep Beverley (which they probably will), they need a backup who is capable of starting or playing big minutes due to Beverley’s proclivity for injuries and foul trouble. Jackson is not that guy, and considering that other teams could offer him more money or a bigger role, he might want to leave anyway. Jackson is very close friends with Paul George (one of the reasons that he came to the Clippers), yet Kawhi Leonard showed frustration with his decision-making several times, and Kawhi’s opinion has to matter to the Clippers more than George’s.

Now, if either Lou Williams or Landry Shamet is traded, Reggie might be more likely to come back. His defense alongside those guys was untenable, and since Lou and Landry are better players, Reggie’s minutes were therefore more unbearable. If there are fewer poor backcourt defenders on the Clippers next season, it might be easier to carry Jackson. That said, his offensive decision-making might have been more frustrating, and removing Lou from the equation would put more onus on Jackson to create.

All in all, it seems unlikely that Reggie will be the Clippers’ primary backup point guard next year. If he’s not, he would be very overqualified for a third point guard role, and would certainly get more minutes elsewhere. That’s not even factoring in the presence of Terrance Mann, who the Clippers are grooming as a point guard, and who would be blocked from all minutes if another backup point guard joins Jackson and Mann on the roster. That makes me think that Jackson will probably not be on the Clippers next season. Or maybe it’s just wishful thinking.

Clippers 2020 Exit Interview: Reggie Jackson
Robert Flom

Basic Information

Height: 6’3″

Weight: 208 pounds

Age: 30

Position: Point Guard

NBA Experience: Ninth season overall, first with Clippers 

Key Stats: Averaging 9.4 points, 3.2 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game in 19.4 minutes as a Clipper (only 9 appearances). Shooting 52.5% from the field and 45.2% from three.

Contract Status: The Clippers signed Jackson to a rest-of-season minimum-salary contract after he reached a buyout with Detroit in February. He’ll be a free agent this summer, and the Clippers will have to use their taxpayer mid-level exception of they want to re-sign him.

Expectations

While Jackson’s skill caliber as an NBA player is relatively high (he’s no superstar but he’s held his own as a starter for years), expectations for his contributions to the Clippers were relatively lower due to his addition as a mid-season buyout free agent. Jackson has had his moments in the league–even being the leading scorer on a playoff team for Detroit in 2016–but the Clippers’ needs were simple: find a rotation point guard who could run the offense reliably.

Prior to Jackson’s arrival, L.A. lacked a traditional point guard on the second unit, with score-first sixth man Lou Williams typically taking on point guard duties. And, to be honest, while Lou is at his best as a scorer and not a distributor, there were no major issues with him running the second unit.

The issues, instead, was that the Clippers had no alternative for their starting unit when Patrick Beverley was unavailable to attend to his normal point guard duties. Doc Rivers experimented with a number of emergency point guard options such as Derrick Walton, Jr., Terrance Mann, Jerome Robinson, and Landry Shamet, but none inspired confidence that they would be reliable fill-ins for Pat in an emergency.

The core of the Clippers’ expectations for Jackson was simply that: be someone who the team knows they can rely on to be a capable replacement starting point guard if Beverley misses time in the post-season.

Reality

Small sample sizes are certainly something to take into consideration. In this case, it’s particularly noteworthy that Jackson shot 37% from deep last season before making a blistering 45% in 9 games so far with the Clippers. While it certainly made for a nice couple of weeks before the season was suspended, that isn’t a number that’s going to be sustainable across a larger window.

Even when Jackson’s shooting regresses, he showed up mid-season and made a positive impact, fulfilling his role and exceeding it. There are no perfect statistics to measure a player’s impact, and +/- is certainly an extremely flawed one, but it feels appropriate that as the Clippers went 7-2 in Jackson’s 9 appearances, he had a negative +/- just once, and a net +45 over that span.

It will be interesting to see the extent to which Doc Rivers is able to utilize Jackson in the playoffs. He’s certainly a good player with a lot of experience playing in the NBA, but in a crowded backcourt he’s clearly below the likes of Beverley, Williams, Shamet, and of course Paul George in the pecking order. While Jackson won’t displace any of those four, it’s possible that Doc Rivers adjusts his gameplay and utilizes smaller lineups, which could free up additional minutes at guard for Jackson.

What’s most important, though, is that his early performances with the Clippers have seemed to demonstrate that he is fully capable of plugging one of the more concerning holes on a roster with championship aspirations: providing a quality emergency point guard in case Patrick Beverley misses time.

Future With The Clippers

Jackson’s future with the Clippers could go a lot of ways. On the one hand, he’s 30 years old now, he’s made his money as a starter, and he now gets to be in L.A. with one of his best friends in Paul George. On the other hand, the Clippers do not have Jackson’s bird rights nor a significant role to offer him.

For the Clippers, does it make sense to invest your taxpayer mid-level (worth about 6M/yr) into a 5th guard? For Jackson, will there be more money on the market–or, perhaps, a playoff team looking for a stopgap veteran point guard to fill a hole in their starting lineup?

It’s impossible to predict the answer to these questions before we see what unfolds in August and September during the NBA playoffs. If Rivers manages his lineup in such a way that Jackson gets significant burn and is a strong contributor, it becomes a lot easier to see the Clippers feeling comfortable using the taxpayer mid-level to keep him–and easier to see Jackson accepting that lower salary to stay in a good role on a contender. After all, it’s hard to let a player walk who was just a significant part of a title run–though the better Jackson plays, the more another team might offer him in free agency. On the other hand, if Jackson is simply the emergency third-string point guard who gets some spot minutes here and there, it might indicate that both parties will be ready to shake hands and go their separate ways in the off-season.

2019-20 LA Clippers Check-In: Reggie Jackson
Lucas Hann

Game Information

Where: Toyota Center, Houston, TX

When: 5:00 PM PT

How to Watch/Listen: TNT, Prime Ticket, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Rockets: James Harden – Russell Westbrook – Danuel House – Robert Covington – P.J. Tucker

Clippers: Patrick Beverley – Paul George – Kawhi Leonard – Marcus Morris – Ivica Zubac

Injuries

Rockets: DeMarre Carroll (Questionable) Illness

Clippers: None

The Big Picture

The Clippers continue to look their most impressive stretch of the season, riding a current five-game win streak into Houston Thursday night. With a win tonight, if Montrezl Harrell is healthy (rolled his ankle Tuesday), the Clippers would be 10-0 with a fully healthy lineup. Their next two games, Houston tonight, and the Lakers Sunday, will be their two most important of the regular season to this point. Tonight could be a statement win. The Rockets are only 2.5 games back of the Clippers for the two seed. However, this season, the Rockets have beaten LA two out of three times, including the Clippers squandering an 18-point lead in the last matchup.

There is also a weird little rivalry with the Rockets given previous playoff matchups and the players that are on both rosters. It’s been noted that Pat Bev and Russ hate each other, and that Austin Rivers is both a former Clipper and son of the Clippers coach Doc. These games are always scrappy and drama filled. The Clippers have been able to stifle top teams this season, but have yet to see a team like the Rockets all season. You know, the team with a 6’5” center. Do the Clips take advantage of having Zubac and go inside more? Do they match the Rockets in their small-ball efforts and utilize Trezz to extremes? It’s going to be a fun watch regardless.

The Antagonist

The most frustrating team in the league to watch and to play against. The Houston Rockets have gone all-in on Mike D’Antoni’s wet dream of small-ball by taking out their biggest player and going five-out, chucking threes, playing minimal defense, and “revolutionizing” the way the game is played. So far, it’s worked? Since trading Capela on Feb 5, the Rockets are 7-3. Their lowest point total in a game since has been 111 (in a win over the Boston Celtics), and this small-ball play style has unlocked different looks in their offense. Russell Westbrook has gone from undeserved All-Star to playing perhaps the best ball of his career, averaging 32.5, 8 and 8 in the month of February and, you know, actually contributing to wins instead of chucking unnecessary threes and hurting his team.

This game has all the makings of being very frustrating to watch. If the Rockets are hitting their deep balls and the lane is open for them, they are very difficult to beat. The Clippers defense has been able to stifle top opponents this season and make life hard for offenses, but the Rockets can shoot their way into (and out of) every game, as well as use their unique, rush-to-the-ball defense to confuse offenses. It will be we interesting to see how they protect the rim against someone like Zubac or Trezz. Likewise it’ll be fascinating to see how the Clippers defend the Rockets.

Notes

Reggie and Lou combo KILLIN IT: Reggie Jackson’s ability to take the ball out of Lou’s hands in the 2nd unit and let him play his natural position, shooting guard, has done wonders for the Clips bench. Via Jovan Buha with The Athletic, in the 69 minutes they’ve played together, Jackson and Williams have posted a plus-34.2 net rating. It’s a small-ish sample size, but the way this pairing has been going so far, I don’t see the momentum stopping anytime soon. Especially when you factor in that the Reg-Trezz PnR is now dangerous as well. 

I do this every time they play but watch this video on the beef between Russ and Pat Bev: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4htEvURGco

Clippers Vs. Rockets Game Preview: This Is A BIG One
Chris Murch