Easily lost amongst the Super Bowl Sunday headlines of this past weekend was an NBA trade executed by the Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks. The Pistons sent veteran point guard Derrick Rose to the Knicks as the focal point of the deal. As a result, more minutes are suddenly available in the Detroit backcourt. If the ensuing games this week have been any indication, it’s clear that Josh Jackson fantasy projections are on the rise moving forward.
Derrick Rose Trade Further Depletes Pistons Backcourt
It’s no secret that the Pistons won’t be contending for an NBA championship this season. With a record of 6-18, Detroit sits in the cellar of the Eastern Conference and just a half-game better than the Minnesota Timberwolves for the worst record in the Association. With a veteran like Derrick Rose playing on an expiring contract, it made perfect sense for the Pistons to reap some sort of return via trade.
In the short-term, however, a depleted Pistons backcourt only got worse. Sure, Detroit received Dennis Smith Jr. as part of their return compensation in the deal. He alone cannot solve all of the deficiencies in the lineup. with Rose gone and rookie Killian Hayes remaining sidelined by a hip injury, the Pistons are grasping at straws. Josh Jackson fantasy owners can get excited about increased playing time for likely the remainder of the season.
Looking at the Pistons’ current lineup, Delon Wright is now listed as the starting point guard on the team’s depth chart. He has played well in the early portion of the season and figures to have a few added minutes per game going forward as well. 33-year-old veteran shooting guard Wayne Ellington generated some fantasy basketball buzz a few weeks ago thanks to improbable 3-point shooting. That has predictably cooled, and Ellington’s minutes have declined along with them. How Smith fits in remains to be seen, but the Josh Jackson fantasy hype train has already left the station.
Josh Jackson Fantasy Outlook on the Rise
For a former fourth overall NBA Draft choice, Josh Jackson fantasy prospects sure dried up in a hurry. During his time playing for the Phoenix Suns, Jackson was nothing but a disappointment. The 24-year-old may be getting a shot at redemption with his new team, the Pistons. On the season, Jackson’s statistical averages on a per-game basis include 12.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.0 blocks and 1.0 steals.
We need not look any further than recent box scores to see why Josh Jackson fantasy owners have reason to be excited. Jackson has now played a minimum of 24 minutes in each of the Pistons’ last five games. Three of those games saw him play 29 minutes or more. Compare that type of playing time to Jackson’s season average of 23.8 minutes per game and it’s easy to see where the fantasy basketball buzz is comign from.
Extra Minutes Resulting in Josh Jackson Fantasy Success
Sure enough, Jackson has made good on the additional minutes thus far. The highlight stat line of the bunch came in an overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers last Saturday. Jackson piled up 28 points on 11-20 shooting with five made 3-pointers, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block for good measure. An upset win over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday saw Jackson score 13 points in 29 minutes, his fifth straigth game scoring in double figures.
If history is any indication, nothing is guaranteed when it comes to Josh Jackson fantasy production. With that said, he is now in a situation where he will be relied upon on a nightly basis. Jackson is eligible at both the small forward and shooting guard positions. He is currently only owned in 29% of ESPN fantasy basketball leagues. Get ahead of the curve now as that number will undoubtedly continue to rise in the coming weeks.
