Evaluating Frank Jackson’s fit at the Phoenix Suns
It may not have been the game-changing move fans are wishing for, but the Phoenix Suns did make a long-awaited roster addition on Tuesday. As reported by The Athletics’ Shams Charania, the Suns have signed 24-year-old Frank Jackson to a non-guaranteed deal.
Originally taken with the 31st pick in the 2017 draft, Jackson has failed to cement himself at NBA level despite some promising signs over his short career.
Frank Jackson may have been given a career lifeline by the Phoenix Suns, but will he be good enough to take advantage of the opportunity?
The 6’3″ guard missed the entirety of his 2017-18 rookie season with the New Orleans Pelicans, before spending his last two years at the Detroit Pistons. Playing in a rebuilding and young Pistons outfit, Jackson averaged a career high in minutes (22) and points per game (10.6) last season.
Jackson is a combo guard who does a little bit of everything, but his lack of one elite skill has harmed his career to date. Let’s put it to bed quickly, this is not a move that solidifies the Suns point-guard situation. Jackson isn’t going to run an NBA offense during the regular season, let alone one when Chris Paul is off the floor during a playoff series.
His opportunities in Phoenix will require solid outside shooting, off-ball movement, making the right pass when required, and stout perimeter defense within a team concept – the key facets that make any valuable role player.
The major question mark comes on his shooting, and what effect playing in a good team like the Suns could have on that aspect. His 40.7% from deep in 2020-21 does provide cause for optimism, but that appears the outlier in a career that otherwise hovers between 30-33%.
Some of the individual off-on and net rating numbers don’t bode well for Jackson, however that’s not a major surprise given the lack of quality talent he’s previously played with.
With Jackson sitting behind Paul and Cameron Payne, and with two-guards like Damion Lee, Landry Shamet and Josh Okogie offering specific skill sets, it’s hard to see Jackson earning regular rotation minutes.
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On a non-guaranteed deal, training camp and preseason is vitally important for the former Duke product. That will ultimately determine his future at the Suns, as may the potential roster changes the Suns make between now and the start of the season.