Frank Jackson decision a warning shot to Killian Hayes?
So why did the Detroit Pistons decline Frank Jackson’s option?
He simply did not shoot as well in his second year with Pistons. His three-point shooting percentage dropped to 30.8%, which is not even close to the league average, although he still scored in double-digits (10.6 points). When your job is to shoot and you are not shooting well, it leaves you open to replacement.
The backcourt is getting a little crowded. When you add Jaden Ivey and newly acquired Alec Burks to returnees Cade Cunningham, Killian Hayes, Cory Joseph and Hamidou Diallo (who swings between guard and forward), there is not a lot of playing time left over.
Defensively, Jackson is actually pretty good with his athleticism. However, he is vulnerable due to his size. He would have to guard the other team’s point guard, limiting Detroit’s flexibility on the defensive end.
Jackson being taken off the books gives the Pistons a little more cap space for free agency. Every little bit helps, and his $3.1 million might be the difference between landing someone they want or coming up short.
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Of course, this does not preclude the Pistons from bringing Jackson back later in the off-season. Last year, Joseph and Rodney McGruder were released but later were re-signed at lower salaries.
Jackson is just 24, a good age to grow with Detroit’s core. He has shown flashes of being a solid NBA player and has scored 10 points a game for the Pistons, yet they felt comfortable letting him go into free agency.
Jackson certainly has shown potential but, eventually, potential has to turn into production. Obviously, the Pistons felt Jackson was not showing enough production, for what they would pay.
Later on this year, Killian Hayes has a deadline in which Detroit will reveal what it thinks of his future with the team.