The Indiana Pacers recently signed Isaiah Jackson to a new three-year deal, and as it stands, there is a good chance he is their starting center next season. While he provides a lot of value, for him and the Pacers to remain title contenders for the long run, Jackson needs to work on his jumper.
There is a lot to like about the Michigan native and his future with the Pacers. Despite coming off an Achilles injury, he is still just 23 years old. Furthermore, he knows the system well and may have been in line for a career year last season prior to his injury. Jackson has had big moments in Indiana, but he must continue to evolve as the team is going to put a lot of trust in him.
Next year is going to be a bit of a gap year for the Pacers. Tyrese Haliburton will miss the season due to an Achilles injury, and the team still needs to figure out how the team will look without Myles Turner. They will have an opportunity to experiment a bit, which should bode well for them in the long haul as they can see what does or doesn't work. This will include seeing what Jackson can offer in an expanded role as he could be their next center if all goes right.
Isaiah Jackson is an intriguing big man for the Pacers
In his last full season with the Pacers, things were looking good for Jackson, who essentially stole the backup center role from Jalen Smith. And, on paper, there is a lot to like about his game. He is physical, energetic, and athletic. He is a bit undersized to be a full-time starting center, but he plays bigger than he is, which should not make this much of a problem.
Despite a lot of his strengths and his overall potential, there are reasons to believe Jackson might not be the guy for Indiana, and it all comes down to his jumpshot.
The Kentucky alum is not a shooter and provides little value outside of the paint. Last year, Jackson spoke about becoming a more "confident" shooter, largely thanks to assistant coach Jenny Boucek. Unfortunately for him, he never had a real opportunity to showcase this, but he should be able to do so next season.
One of the more interesting narratives to follow next season is what the Pacers' offense will look like without Turner. Despite his brutal final games with the team, he is still an excellent stretch big. Furthermore, he was a good complement alongside Pascal Siakam. He is a completely different player from Jackson, who many expect to be the team's starting center next year, which could make the transition a bit tough to begin.
If Jackson can become a more valuable offensive weapon outside of the paint (even just in the mid-range), that would be a huge help for the Pacers. Next season likely will not matter much for the team as a deep playoff run seems unlikely. However, they should be right back at it once Haliburton returns.
Indiana's offense is going to look significantly different from here on out without Turner. Whether that becomes a good thing or not remains to be seen. Regardless, a lot of their future success will come down to Jackson, who could be a long-term fit for a Pacers team looking to remain in title contention.