During the NBA mid-season trade deadline, one of the hottest names on the market was Reggie Jackson. The backup point guard was excelling behind Russell Westbrook on the Oklahoma City Thunder and many teams pegged him as a starter. Several teams pushed deals for Jackson, but the Detroit Pistons won out in the end and the point guard is reportedly thrilled to be in the Motor City. If Jackson is re-signed in the future, could Brandon Jennings be traded elsewhere?
According to MLive.com, Jackson is loving being on the Detroit Pistons and believes in the future the team is building. That could be enough to get the point guard a new deal in free agency. Team sources report the Pistons are interested in getting a deal done for Jackson immediately in order to retain the point guard before he has a chance to even think about testing the market. So where does that leave Jennings?
Jennings is out for the season following a torn Achilles, but was excelling prior to the injury. The Detroit Free Press has speculated that Jennings could be traded if Jackson played well in his spot, something that is happening at the moment. Jennings would not be cheap as Detroit is well aware there is a big need for point guards on the open market which could make any deals difficult.
The New York Knicks are one of those point guard needy teams and they could easily eye Jennings in a trade, but will favor free agency first. According to the New York Post, Phil Jackson likes the idea of free agents over trades simply because the team can no longer afford to give up draft picks since they are lacking in that department. That could push the Knicks to favor deals for Goran Dragic, Rajon Rondo or Brandon Knight rather than seeking a trade for Jennings.
However, the Knicks will be desperate to move Jose Calderon and his high-priced contract. Would that type of deal work for Detroit? That is unknown at the moment. While sitting out with injury, Calderon has stressed his desire to remain with the Knicks, but given how much Jackson has tried to shop him since becoming team president, the point guard is gone in the offseason.