The 15th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Jackson has small roles through the first three seasons of his career. Last year, the forward saw just 16.1 minutes per game with the Mavericks, averaging 5.5 points and 2.4 rebounds. This season, however, the 25-year-old should have an opportunity to step into the biggest role of his career with the rebuilding Thunder. It's possible he starts, though coming off the bench and seeing minutes in the 20s is more likely. While an increased role is certainly a good thing for Jackson's career, it will likely be irrelevant in fantasy. He's an extremely low-usage player, taking just 10.8 shots per 36 minutes for his career. He's also not an adept shooter, hitting just 32.4 percent of his 593 career three-pointers. Ultimately, this season for Jackson will most likely be just trying to produce well enough to continue a career in the NBA.
Jackson was traded from Sacramento shortly before last season's trade deadline in the Harrison Barnes deal. In his second season -- playing for the Kings and Mavericks -- he averaged a career-high in points (7.2), assists (1.2) and three-pointers (1.1) despite a decrease in minutes from 22.1 in 2017-18 to 19.9 in 2018-19. Jackson improved his shooting, though his field goal percentage (44.7) and three-point percentage (35.5) still left a lot to be desired. In his first season opener as a Maverick, he'll play a backup role on the wing, where he'll compete for minutes with Jalen Brunson, Seth Curry and Dorian Finney-Smith and likely see a decrease in playing time again. The 2017 first-rounder has largely underwhelmed in his short NBA career, and Jackson can safely go undrafted in standard formats this season.
The 15th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Jackson appeared in 68 games for the Kings last season, which included 41 starts. He was relatively underwhelming, however. The rookie posted just 6.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game while shooting 44.2 percent from the field. Jackson managed to rack up one 20-point game, however. Heading into this season, maybe the most encouraging sign was his success during summer league. He appeared in seven tilts, averaging 18.1 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 45.5 percent from the field. Plus, there seems to be a solid chance Jackson will remain the Kings’ usual starter at small forward. Still, as a relatively low-usage player, there doesn't seem to be much basis for drafting Jackson in a standard Fantasy league, especially with the team drafting Marvin Bagley, signing Nemanja Bjelica and retaining the likes of Bogdan Bogdanovic and Buddy Hield. There are simply too many mouths to feed on the wing to have confidence in Jackson as a breakout candidate.
Jackson helped lead North Carolina to a national championship last season in college, his junior year, averaging 18.3 points on 37.0 percent from beyond the arc. He also posted 4.7 rebounds and 2.8 dimes across 32.0 minutes per game. In joining the Kings, he fills a hole for the team at small forward after the team opted to let a handful of wing players walk without protest. At 6-foot-8 and just 200 pounds, Jackson’s small-ball power forward potential is low at the moment considering his lanky frame. He also doesn’t project as having much potential as a shooting guard considering his average athleticism, which may cause him issues defensively at the NBA level. While he’s shown impressive skill as an off-ball cutter, his subpar ability as a ballhandler severely limits his upside as an isolation or pick and roll player. His lack of strength and explosiveness will also likely make it difficult for him to finish at the rim – he often settled for floaters in college. Jackson also wasn’t a particularly great rebounder or defender against NBA-level wings at North Carolina. He’s certainly raw, but should still see rotational minutes with the Kings next season. That said, the noted holes in Jackson’s game make him a risky Fantasy option.