Quenton Jackson has shown flashes of potential throughout his time with the Indiana Pacers, yet he is only on a two-way contract. Many believe the California native is too good to not be on a standard deal, and this includes Michael Facci of the "Setting the Pace" podcast.
"I would like to see [Quenton Jackson] rewarded with a contract by the end of the year. ... He's deserving of it. He really is. I've said it before on this podcast multiple times, I think he's the best two-way player in this league. I really do. He's a standard contract-material player. I'd like to see him get that opportunity," Facci said.
Jackson is currently dealing with a hamstring injury and has been out of action since November 3. However, in the games that he played this season, he stepped up in a major way and looked fantastic.
In five games, including three starts, Jackson averaged 11.8 points while shooting 54.1% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc, 3.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1 steal. He is no Tyrese Haliburton, but the Texas A&M alum looks great in Indiana's system, and it's only a matter of time before the team rewards him with a standard contract.
Quenton Jackson is too good to play on a two-way contract
The Pacers lack depth at point guard this season, and once he returns from his injury, they should continue to call on Jackson.
Jackson is a great fit for the Pacers for numerous reasons. He is incredibly athletic and brings energy every time he steps onto the court. Given how important tempo and pace are for the Pacers, he is the exact type of player they want. Plus, he is a very efficient ball-handler who rarely forces passes. This is a huge reason he has only turned the ball over six times in 101 total minutes this season.
Additionally, the 27-year-old can attack the rim at a high level, which diversifies Indiana's offense, which relies heavily on spacing.
After Indiana's victory against the Golden State Warriors in November, head coach Rick Carlisle praised Jackson's ability to be an "attacker" on both sides of the ball after he helped hold Stephen Curry to 8-for-23 shooting in the game.
“He’s an attacker, and he’s gotta be in attack mode. He’s a hybrid guard, really. He plays point. He plays two. But it’s important that he is who he is in his soul, and that is an attacker. And so, he attacked tonight. He had a tough job chasing [Steph] Curry around all night. We matched their minutes pretty much," Carlisle said.
It's clear that Jackson has talent, and it's also clear that he has fans both in and out of the organization. There was a case to be had that he was too good to be on a two-way contract, even heading into the season, but this seems more like a fact at this point than an opinion.
He will never be the best guard on a team that has Tyrese Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard. But the fourth-year guard has done more than enough to prove that he deserves a promotion in Indiana.
The Pacers have always been good at finding hidden gems and getting the most out of their players. They should certainly be able to do it again with Jackson.