The Indiana Pacers signed Isaiah Jackson to a three-year, $21 million deal in July. And even though many questioned Indiana's decision, it's looking like the right one so far.
Jackson has been a solid backup for the Pacers since 2021. And even though he is coming off an Achilles injury, he deserved an opportunity to prove he can help the team replace Myles Turner after he joined the Milwaukee Bucks.
There is a lot to like about the Michigan native's fit in Indiana. He can defend, score in the paint, and his athleticism and energy make him stand out in the Pacers' center room. What his long-term outlook is going to look like in Indiana remains to be seen, but at the very least, the Pacers made the right call by betting on their guy and giving him a chance.
So far this season, the results are mixed. While there is still a lot of time for Jackson to fully prove his worth, he may have already made one thing crystal clear: he is valuable and will be a long-term asset for the Pacers, but mostly as a backup.
Isaiah Jackson may not be a starting-caliber center
One of the biggest concerns about Indiana's center committee this season has proven to be true: none of them (Jackson, Jay Huff, Tony Bradley, and James Wiseman, once upon a time) are starting-caliber centers on a championship-level team.
The Larry O'Brien Trophy is not realistically in Indiana's sights this season, but the team should be able to re-enter the title picture once Tyrese Haliburton returns from his Achilles injury. In order for them to do that, though, they're going to need a dependable center who can contribute at a high level night in and night out.
So far, Jackson doesn't look to be that guy.
In his first 13 games this season, including nine starts, the Kentucky alum averaged 8.1 points and 6.1 rebounds while shooting 55.4% from the field. On paper, these numbers are solid. But that's part of the problem: they're just fine.
Nobody was expecting Jackson to become the next Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (though that would certainly make for an interesting development), but fans and the teams were at least expecting a bigger jump from him this season, even with the Achilles injury.
Jackson has looked fine. He is still ferocious at the rim, and his athleticism is mostly back, which is a great sight to see. However, he still mostly looks like the same player he has been to this point. He still doesn't have a jumpshot, he still gets into serious foul trouble, and he is not somebody who can help elevate the Pacers on the court. Jackson can play a role and make an impact, but he is not somebody Indiana can trust as its starting center in the NBA Finals.
Plus, he is continuing to prove that he is way too inconsistent to be relied on heavily. Either he will score 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting, or he will pick up five fouls in less than 15 minutes.
Furthermore, after starting nine of Indiana's first 10 games, he came off the bench for the team's following three games in favor of Bradley. This is most likely just Carlisle experimenting with the roster and different lineups. But this still isn't a great look for Jackson, who is seemingly losing Carlisle's coach as the Pacers' regular starting center.
Jackson is still a good player and deserves to be in Indiana for the long haul. However, his perfect role has already been decided, and it sees him on the bench way more than in the starting lineup.