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The Philadelphia 76ers are going all the way in pursuit of a championship in 2025, from making a huge splash with free agent Paul George to locking up Tyrese Maxey with a 5-year, $203.8 million deal. Now, the 76ers are expected to add yet another playoff-tested veteran to the team.
Former Denver Nuggets point guard Reggie Jackson was part of a six-team trade earlier in the offseason that landed him with the Charlotte Hornets. As reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on X, the Hornets and Jackson have agreed on a buyout, which clears the way for Jackson to join the 76ers after clearing waivers.
Adding Even More Experience
The 76ers were already trending older, looking to pair their in-his-prime star Joel Embiid with NBA veterans who can be relied upon in even the most daunting situations. Just this offseason, they’ve added Andre Drummond (12 years in the NBA), Eric Gordon (16 years), brought back Kyle Lowry (18 years) and that’s not even mentioning George, who has played 14 seasons.
Jackson brings 13 years of NBA experience to the 76ers, initially drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 1st round of the 2011 NBA Draft (24th overall). Over his career, Jackson has appeared in 853 regular season games, playing for the Thunder, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers and most recently, the Nuggets. He’s played in 87 playoff games, winning a championship with the Nuggets in 2022-23.
Jackson’s Role With the 76ers
Jackson is coming off of a healthy 2023-24 campaign in which he appeared in all 82 games for the Nuggets, starting 23. He also appeared in all 12 playoff games, though his role diminished with the typical shortening of rotations in the postseason.
With a nickname like “Mr. June,” you’d expect Jackson to contribute heavily come playoff time, and at least for a few years, you’d be correct. Jackson put together a fantastic 2020-21 playoff run with the Clippers, averaging 17.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists, with a shooting line of .484/.408/.878 in 19 games.
It’s been a few years since Jackson has been relied upon for heavy minutes, and it doesn’t look like that will be the case with the 76ers, either. More than likely, he’ll serve as quality depth, a guy who can contribute in a number of roles at short notice. Look for him to compete with Lowry for the backup point guard minutes and serve as a matchup-related substitute at the shooting guard.
Jackson was once a plus defender, going back a few years to the 2021-22 season. He held opponents to 2.1% worse shooting, including a terrific 5.3% worse inside six feet, but the last few years seem to have robbed Jackson of those gifts. Last season, his numbers almost swapped, allowing opponents to shoot 2.5% better against him, 4.2% better inside six feet.
The dream scenario would be for the 76ers to be able to rely upon Jackson and Lowry to match opposing guards based on their strengths. Unfortunately, Lowry’s defense is also an issue at age 38, as he allowed shooters to make 2.9% more shots, and 5.3% more inside six feet.
Lowry is by far the more decorated player, and the better offensive option at this stage. Jackson can spell him for some very specific defensive matchups, but at the cost of losing offensive firepower. It will be interesting to see how coach Nick Nurse navigates the waters come the start of the season.
All stats via NBA.com/stats unless noted otherwise.
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