Indiana Pacers fans have been clamoring for Quenton Jackson, who has spent his entire three-season stint so far on a two-way contract, to be signed to a standard deal for quite some time. He has a ton of potential (especially this season), and many fans feel that he is way too good and overall valuable to just be on a two-way contract.
Well, fortunately for members of the "Quenton Jackson Fan Club," the Pacers, who currently have one open roster spot, may be ready to give the guard the reward he deserves, according to team general manager Chad Buchanan (h/t Tony East of Forbes).
"[Jackson is] definitely a real possibility," Buchanan said about candidates to take the Pacers' open roster spot. "Quenton’s been awesome. He was fantastic last night, and he’s a big part of our culture in our locker room. He’s got such a good energy to him. He’s got a toughness about him, never complains about anything. ... We’ve got to be mindful of the tax as we go through things, but there’s a timing and sequence that gives us the possibility to do something there. And I think we’ll look at probably doing that."
In 26 games this season (including 10 starts), Jackson has averaged 8.3 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists while shooting 48% from the field and 40.7% from beyond the arc. And in his last three games before the All-Star break, he averaged 17.3 points, 3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.3 steals while shooting 66.7% from the field and 58.3% from behind the line (with just one start).
Quenton Jackson deserves a standard contract with the Pacers
The Los Angeles native will never be the best player on an NBA court. In fact, he may never even be the best guard on the court. But that doesn't mean he can't provide a lot of value and contribute to winning basketball, which he has done a lot of this season.
On Feb. 10, Jackson scored 19 points on 5-for-7 shooting to help Indiana defeat the New York Knicks 137-134 in overtime. Additionally, he scored a game-high seven points in overtime.
After the game, head coach Rick Carlisle praised the 27-year-old and what he brings to the table. And he made it crystal clear that he is a big fan of his game.
"He's played well all year in every different role you can be in," Carlisle said about Jackson. "He's been a third-stringer. He's been a G Leaguer on a two-way. He's been a starter. I mean, if it wasn't for him, I don't know if we would've ever won a game at the beginning of the season. ... He's been great."
Jackson is a player who can come in and provide a ton of energy and play hard on both sides of the ball. He has improved as a three-point shooter, is a disruptive defender, and is fantastic in transition and getting to the basket, largely because of his elite athleticism.
The Texas A&M alum continues to impress and prove that he can help the Pacers win some basketball games. Fortunately for him, it seems like he could be in line to finally get what he's deserved for a long time.