Should Detroit keep or trade Reggie Jackson?

The 2017 off-season is coming to a close, but the Detroit Pistons are still left with many questions pertaining to the state of the team.

Reggie Jackson was shipped out in a trade to the Detroit Pistons in 2015, finally giving him the chance to be a starting guard. He did little to disappoint, averaging 17.6 points and 9.3 assists in 27 games for Detroit that year.

That play alone earned him a five-year, 80 million dollar contract extension with the Pistons. His second season with Detroit also yielded great results, bumping his scoring up to 18.8 points, while his assists dropped to 6.2 per game.

A season ago, though, Jackson was plagued with knee tendinitis, which caused him to only play in 52 games. This left much of the load on the shoulders of Ish Smith, who impressed with his play.

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Now, Reggie claims his injury is a thing of the past and he feels good as new. But what if he never returns to the player he once was? That is a big problem for Detroit if he does not. So, would trading him away be the smart move? Or should Detroit keep him and hope he returns to his previous play?

TRADE

In this first scenario we will side with the idea of trading Reggie Jackson as soon as possible. Via Bleacher Report, this trade idea seems to make the most sense:

This is the closest to an even trade as anyone can get with Reggie Jackson. Denver gets a slight upgrade at the point, only if he recovers well from his injury. While Detroit will receive a project in Mudiay, who could potentially turn into a bright star. His pass-first attitude would also be a huge plus compared to Reggie’s lackluster passing.

The Nuggets would also be relinquishing Wilson Chandler, freeing up some roster space. In Chandler, the Pistons would get a solid scoring forward to add to their core.

This trade makes sense for both sides in hindsight, but it is unlikely anything like this will come into fruition. Denver would be taking a colossal risk on Jackson, but a risk that could pay off big time for their pick-and-roll game with newly acquired Paul Milsap.

This trade scenario would be the best outcome for Detroit’s Reggie Jackson situation. But, what if they keep him?

KEEP

If Stan Van Gundy cannot find a trade partner that satisfies both sides, he will have no choice but to keep Reggie. Is that such a bad thing though? Especially if he recovers well from his injury. While the jury is still out on that, keeping Jackson could pay off in the future. Avery Bradley is most excited to play alongside Jackson, which could create a high-tempo backcourt.

Jackson and Andre Drummond have always been great at the pick-and-roll. Add in Bradley on the wing and they become even more threatening.

Reggie Jackson still has a few more seasons left on his contract with Detroit. There are a lot of if’s surrounding Jackson, but if he can return to his old self, Detroit will be looking like a real playoff team.

VERDICT

If Detroit could work out a deal like the one above, Stan Van Gundy would be crazy not to pull the trigger. More likely, though, is that they do not get such an offer, forcing them to keep Jackson. But keeping Reggie could turn into a good thing.

The Detroit Pistons should hold out for Reggie Jackson. They should at least wait to assess again until the mid-way point of the season before dealing him. Until then, Jackson should stay a member of the Pistons.

Next: Can Detroit make a run for the playoffs?

What would you like to see Detroit do? Keep Reggie Jackson? Or trade him as soon as possible?