Former Pistons Standout Lands in Draft Day Trade to Detroit Rival

A former Detroit Pistons veteran is back in the Eastern Conference.

Justin Grasso | Jun 28, 2024

Apr 6, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Reggie Jackson (7) takes a shot over Atlanta Hawks forward Bruno Fernando (24) in the first half at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael Ciaglo-USA TODAY Sports / Michael Ciaglo-USA TODAY Sports

In this story:

The Detroit Pistons witnessed one of their former starters land in a trade amid the 2024 NBA Draft on Thursday.

Veteran guard Reggie Jackson is suddenly ending up in a new situation just days after picking up his player option for the 2024-2025 NBA season.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Denver Nuggets have struck a deal with the Charlotte Hornets to send Jackson back to the Eastern Conference. In exchange for the veteran guard, the Hornets are parting ways with multiple unprotected second-round picks.

Jackson now lands on his fifth team.

Back in 2011, Jackson was a first-round selection for the Oklahoma City Thunder. After getting taken 24th overall, Jackson carved out a role for himself as a reserve, who averaged a little over ten minutes of playing time during his rookie season.

Jackson spent four seasons playing for the Thunder. Midway through year four, he was acquired by Pistons. In Detroit, Jackson made a name for himself as a full-time starter.

In six seasons with the Pistons, Jackson averaged 16 points, three rebounds, and six assists. He was a 43 percent shooter from the field, and hit on 35 percent of his threes on 4.4 attempts per game.

During the 2019-2020 season, the Pistons waived Jackson, buying out his contract. A couple of days later, he joined a contender, linking with the LA Clippers.

Jackson’s Clippers tenure would last four seasons. In 2022, the Clippers sent Jackson to the Hornets for the first time, but he wouldn’t suit up for Charlotte. Instead, he landed another contract buyout.

Jackson’s next move would be to join the Denver Nuggets. He had a 16-game run for the Nuggets, and appeared in six of their postseason outings on the road to an NBA Finals victory in 2023.

Last year, Jackson played a full season for the Nuggets, averaging ten points and four assists. Although he anticipated returning to the Nuggets after opting-in, Denver acquired multiple picks for the 34-year-old. Next season, Jackson could face the Pistons a handful of times, as he lands on another Eastern Conference squad.

Read More Detroit Pistons on SI