Reggie Jackson trade brightens Pistons’ future
By Dan Feldman
"The Pistons’ in-with-the-new, in-with-the-old trades just before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline made the team more exciting now, more exciting this summer and, potentially, more exciting beyond.But better? We’ll see."
"Jackson will become a restricted free agent this summer, giving Pistons coach/president Stan Van Gundy another chance to navigate those difficult waters after getting the worst possible result with Greg Monroe last off-season. Monroe accepted the qualifying offer, and Jackson likely will consider doing the same. With the salary cap set to skyrocket when new national-TV contracts begin in 2016, Jackson could position himself to become an unrestricted free agent then.I like this trade, especially because the Pistons didn’t give up anyone likely to become a starter on a good team. But it might not rate so positively if it takes a near-max contract to keep Jackson from taking the qualifying offer or leaving for another team.Of course, the final results could swing just dramatically in the other direction, which is why I’m completely on board with the trade. Jackson could excel in Detroit’s final 28 games, prove himself worthy of a big contract and convince Monroe to re-sign.Jackson, Monroe, Andre Drummond and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope would form a very nice, young core. All that’s missing is a small forward, the position Tayshaun Prince will help fill for the time being."
"If they waive Caron Butler (which they should but might not), they project to have about $15 million in salary cap space this summer — and that’s counting the cap holds of Monroe and Jackson. In other words, the Pistons could spend that $15 million and then exceed the cap to re-sign Monroe and Jackson.Using all that cap space and then signing Monroe and Jackson — depending on the cost of those free agents, where the Pistons draft and where the salary cap falls — could take Detroit over the luxury-tax line. So they might not spend that entire $15 million. (Of course, if Monroe leaves, that would free up even more money to spend.)"
"Jackson won’t necessarily play better than the over-his-head production Augustin provided as a starter, and Detroit took a big step back at small forward by losing Kyle Singler.But this is only minimally about the present. I’d happily watch the Pistons fall from the postseason picture if it means they now have a point guard who brightens their future.It’d be even sweeter if they figure out how to handle Brandon Jennings — a dilemma for another day. Using Jackson to convince Monroe to re-sign would take this to a whole other level. And a temporary slip that results in a higher draft pick would just be the cherry on top.The Pistons have potential to make all of this work in a big way, potential that didn’t exist Thursday morning. There’s no guarantee that they capitalize, but to have this opportunity is exhilarating.The fun begins now, the tension this summer and maybe the big winning after that."