The New Orleans Pelicans may have an internal answer to an offseason question in Frank Jackson.
The New Orleans Pelicans will head into the offseason with a lot of needs, one of which they should fill internally.
They definitely need bigs, and will likely look outside of the organization to find them, as they don’t have a lot of options in house.
They need a wing with size who can defend, again, this player will have to be found in free agency or via trade, as they don’t have a lot of choices, unless you like Zylan Cheatham, which I do.
They will also need a backup point guard, and while many people are calling for a veteran free agent, I firmly believe they should fill the role with Frank Jackson.
I should start by saying that Jackson is not really a point guard. He’s more of a combo guard with handles who can play off the ball or run the offense.
His future in this league is probably at point guard, as he has the quickness to play there and the size to be a problem for the opposition.
Frank Jackson was one of the few bright spots in the bubble and will be entering restricted free agency, so the Pelicans will have some decisions to make.
Here are three reasons the New Orleans Pelicans should re-sign Frank Jackson.
Frank Jackson Fills a Need
The New Orleans Pelicans need a guard who has the size to defend both guard positions, plays with energy, and can get his own shot occasionally.
Call me crazy, but that’s exactly what we saw out of Jackson in the bubble. He played with intensity and effort throughout, which is a skill many of his teammates don’t have.
Jackson has good size, can defend both guard spots and is strong enough to get to the rim and finish through contact, as he did several times last night against the Magic on his way to 31 points.
The more run Frank Jackson gets, the better he plays, which is why he can absolutely be a guy who gets a consistent 20 minutes off the bench in whatever guard role the Pelicans need that night.
Frank Jackson plays with pace, pushes the ball when he can, and is an improved 3-point shooter, which he flashed at times in the bubble, and maybe most importantly, he takes care of the ball.
Jackson had zero turnovers in 36 minutes against the Magic, which led to the Pelicans having a respectable 13 overall, something that has been a problem all season.
Jackson’s energy and defensive intensity is important on a team that often lacks it, and he could be a part of the team’s future second unit backcourt.