Here are three reasons why the Los Angeles Lakers should not select Kansas forward Josh Jackson with the second overall pick.
It’s draft season and that officially means that the rumor mill is firing on all cylinders. With the conflicting reports that the Los Angeles Lakers had apparently promised Josh Jackson that they would draft him while also not promising Josh Jackson that they would draft him, nobody really knows what’s going on.
One thing is certain: The Lakers will added a very talented prospect from this year’s draft. So far, the consensus top three has been Washington guard Markelle Fultz, UCLA guard Lonzo Ball and Kansas forward Josh Jackson. The Lakers will obviously not have their pick of the litter, as they have the 2nd overall pick, but they will get to choose between two of those three prospects.
Lonzo Ball and the Lakers seemed destined for each other during the season. However, now that the Lakers have done their fair share of scouting and workouts, Josh Jackson seems to have taken the lead on the Lakers board. He is the first player from this draft that has had more than one workout with Los Angeles so far.
Jackson is certainly an intriguing prospect. So that begs the question: Why should the Lakers pass on Josh Jackson?
Shooting
Jackson is certainly a talented offensive player. He does a lot of different things on offense and he does them well. One thing he doesn’t do that well is shoot. Specifically, long range shooting. The main issue seems to be his shooting motion. He has a bit of a hitch in his shot that may take a while to correct. Jackson struggled early on last season, shooting only 28% from long range until catching fire and finishing at a respectable 37%.
He needs to find consistency from long range. Not only that, he also needs to prove that he can shoot NBA range threes. The Lakers would likely field a starting line up that includes D’Angelo Russell, Jackson, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle and Ivica Zubac/Timofey Mozgov. If Jackson can’t be consistent from long range, this lineup may have trouble spacing out the defense. As the death machine known as the Golden State Warriors have shown everyone, it’s better to be able to space the floor.
This isn’t to say he won’t correct it, but Lonzo Ball has shown a pretty consistent NBA range three-point shot so far. Ball would provide spacing immediately and that’s not something we can say that Jackson can do just yet.
Not only that, Jackson also struggled immensely from the free throw line, shooting a paltry 56.6% from the charity stripe. That is simply unacceptable in the NBA for a wing as talented as Jackson. Combine that with the hitch in his shot and there are legitimate concerns about just how consistent he can become as a shooter.
Discipline
One of Josh Jackson’s biggest knocks would be his discipline. Jackson will often wear his heart on his sleeve. Now, that by itself is not necessarily a bad thing. However, that coupled with lack of discipline is a bad combination. A good example of this would be Jackson’s issues with technical fouls last season. It’s not bad to be emotional, he just needs to be able to keep it under control.
Jackson would consistently rack up the fouls. Last season, he had 11 games out of 35 with four or more fouls. He averaged around three fouls per game and almost 4 fouls per 40 minutes. These kind of numbers will get you into trouble in the NBA. Wings and guards will be quicker and faster at the next level, thus Jackson really needs to cut down on the avoidable fouls.
Jackson can also be undisciplined in regards to his decision making. He does have a tendency to put his head down and not the whole floor, particularly in transition. Jackson had a 20.2% turnover percentage in transition, which is way too many turnovers.
And, of course, the elephant in the room. Jackson did have some legal issues towards the end of the college season. Whether or not that is an isolated incident remains to be seen, but it is something to keep on eye on.
Size (Measurements)
Josh Jackson has pretty good size. Jackson comes in at 6’8” while being able to play shooting guard, small forward and (presumably) power forward. His height isn’t really the issue, but rather his other measurements are.
Compared to other elite defensive wings in the league, Jackson’s wingspan is average. Coming in at 6’9.75”, it remains to be seen if Jackson can become a legitimate defensive stopper. The majority of the elite NBA defensive players have large wingspans. Jackson frequently gets Kawhi Leonard comparisons but those might not be fair to him because Leonard has a 7’3” wingspan. Paul George measures in at just under 7 feet. Andre Iguodala has a 6’11” wingspan and LeBron James‘ is over 7 feet. With Jackson’s being under 6’10”, it remains to be seen if he can play power forward for long stretches.
He also has a narrow frame and comes in at only 207 pounds. Jackson does have plenty of time to add additional muscle to his frame. But there are concerns over how much he can add to his narrow frame. He will need to be at least 215 pounds, as most wings are around 220 or up.
It’s not the biggest red flag, but it does limit his defensive upside as well as his potential to play power forward for long stretches.
Josh Jackson is definitely a talent. He possesses an intriguing skill set, particularly on the defensive end. However, there are some red flags to consider before selecting him.
Next: Who do the Lakers land in our complete first round mock draft?
Will the Lakers be able to get enough spacing when he’s on the floor? Can he guard power forwards consistently? Can he keep his emotions in check? These are all valid concerns and the main reasons the Lakers should pass on Josh Jackson with the 2nd overall pick.