Denver Nuggets urged to bench veteran point guard

Last February, the Denver Nuggets brought in Reggie Jackson in a trade with the LA Clippers. After arriving in the Mile-High City, Jackson appeared in 16 regular-season games for the Nuggets, starting twice. He averaged 7.9 points and 3.1 assists per game while shooting 38.3% from the field and 27.9% from beyond the arc.

Those stats weren’t enough to earn him consistent minutes in the playoffs. The veteran guard logged just three minutes per contest across six postseason appearances for Denver as they battled their way to an NBA championship.

With Jackson back for another season, it’ll be interesting to see what type of role he takes on with the Nuggets.

Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley recently suggested that Denver takes the risk of sitting Jackson completely in favor of playing rookie guard Jalen Pickett.

“Denver, which needs a new Swiss Army knife with Brown out of the equation, should opt for versatility and plug in rookie Jalen Pickett as the backup point guard,” Buckley wrote. “The 23-year-old has the handles and bully-ball game to work on either side of a pick-and-roll, and, much like Brown, his length, motor and physicality allow him to play bigger than his size.”

The Nuggets selected Pickett No. 32 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft. Last season at Penn State, he averaged 17.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game for the Nittany Lions.

Reggie Jackson is ready to help the Denver Nuggets in any way possible

Though being glued to the bench isn’t what any NBA player has envisioned for themselves, Jackson sounds like he’s prepared to do whatever it takes to help the Nuggets next season.

During a recent interview with The Athletic’s Tony Jones, he discussed what he expects in his second campaign with Denver.

“This is a big season for me and for us in general,” Jackson told Jones. “The understanding that we have to go into the season with is that we have a mark on our backs collectively as a team. But, also, I have to do my part and do everything I can to try and make us as successful as possible… My job is going to be to come in and try and steady the ship as much as I can when I’m in the game. I think the young guys are going to be very fun to play with. There is a lot of talent in that locker room. As a second unit, we have to make sure that we are able to keep things rolling.”