RADIO
Justin Bales analyzes the fantasy prospects of Suns rookie Josh Jackson. See RotoBaller for more NBA and fantasy basketball strategy, rankings, and sleepers.
Position: SF/PF
Team: Phoenix Suns
Draft Spot: 1.04
Analysis: Jackson is a player that could have been drafted higher, but he essentially made the decision of what team he wanted to go to. The Boston Celtics tried to bring Jackson in for a workout and interview, but he refused. It was suggested that he wanted to play for Phoenix, where he could be more of a focal point of the team, but no one knows exactly why he opted against visiting Boston.
Jackson was not the focal point of the Kansas offense in his only season, but he still managed 16.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.1 blocks in only 30.8 minutes per game. He found success with a 54.9% two-point percentage to go along with a solid 37.8% three-point percentage. He struggled with free throws, though, as he only converted on 56.6% of his free throw attempts.
It has been reported that Jackson was a player that was unavailable in trade talks with the Suns this offseason, suggesting he will immediately have a major role with the team. He could start at small forward over T.J. Warren, but Jackson also has the versatility to play shooting guard and power forward. He does come with some personality concerns, but it would not be wise to avoid him for that.
Bottom Line: Jackson should immediately see big minutes for the Suns. He has the potential to contribute in each of the five categories, but he will likely struggle with efficiency. He can get by with his shooting percentage, but he needs to be knocked down in leagues that focus on free throw percentage.
By popular demand, RotoBaller has aggregated all of our fantasy basketball NBA waiver wire pickups into a running list of NBA waiver options, so bookmark the page and check back often for updates.
