Sam Presti Sees Reggie Jackson As “Core Member” Of OKC
Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti spoke with reporters on Thursday with updates and initial thoughts going into training camp. He reported Kendrick Perkins’ quad injury and also spoke on Thunder guard Reggie Jackson’s future with the team.
Via ESPN’s Royce Young:
Presti says he sees Reggie Jackson as a “core member” and the franchise will give it their “maximum, best chance” to get it done.
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) September 25, 2014
Presti says there still hasn’t been a consideration to trade Jackson if a deal isn’t reached before the Oct. 31 deadline.
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) September 25, 2014
Presti was in similar waters two years ago with his former coveted sixth man James Harden. While Jackson won’t be garnering max contract attention as Harden was at the time, you never know how his value may rise and bring forth an unexpectedly lucrative deal. Jackson has been an intricate source of the Thunder’s bench scoring and back court attack, and gave OKC a miraculous 32-point effort in a crucial Game 4 against Memphis in the playoffs last season.
Presti cited Jeremy Lamb as “setting a standard for time spent in the gym” (via Royce Young), and added,
Presti on starting shooting guard: “We need to have a defensive disposition, no matter who’s starting in that position.”
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) September 25, 2014
Oklahoma City lost their best defender Thabo Sefolosha in free agency, so the shooting guard slot is an important fill-in this season. Newcomer Anthony Morrow has a chance to earn some of those minutes, but if Reggie Jackson is indeed safe in Presti’s long term plans, it will be interesting to see how more two-guard or even three-guard line ups might become part of head coach Scott Brooks’ plans.
