Detroit Pistons: Will Josh Jackson be traded at the deadline?

When the Detroit Pistons traded for Hamidou Diallo, it might have spelled the end of the Josh Jackson era in Detroit.

Jackson has been a pleasant surprise this season but some Pistons’ fans have gone way too far with the praise. Jackson is playing well enough to be the sixth man on a ten-win team, but if he were on a playoff contender, he’d likely be on the bench.

Jackson does some things really well. His energy and defense off the bench have definitely been a boost to the Pistons’ second unit, and who knows, with the right complement of bench players, Jackson might be very effective in that role.

Right now he is being asked to do too much, which reveals some the flaws in his game, namely that he can’t shoot and turns the ball over too much.

Hamidou Diallo is actually a similar type of player. He is long and athletic, will bring defensive energy off the bench and his shot needs a lot of work.

With two players competing for the same role, something might have to give and it’s likely to be Jackson.

Detroit Pistons: Will the Pistons trade Josh Jackson?

The question of what the Pistons should do with Jackson is an interesting one. Troy Weaver has shown that he will trade anyone, so don’t expect sentimentality to play a role when he is making decisions.

He’ll also probably want to get a better idea of what they have in Diallo before making a decision, though Weaver was one of the people who drafted Diallo, so he is pretty familiar with his game.

There are some compelling reasons to deal Jackson before the deadline but also some reasons to keep him.

Let’s break it down.