1. Secure the starting role
Even with Devin Booker’s status for the season opener being up in the air, Josh Jackson doesn’t have the inside track to a starting job as the 2018-19 season approaches. Trevor Ariza will likely start at the 3, Ryan Anderson will reportedly start at the 4, and even if Ryno comes off the bench, T.J. Warren would probably start at the 3 over Jackson in a small-ball lineup.
There are a ton of variables still up in the air. Jackson could start at the 2 if Book isn’t back by opening night, but even if that’s the case, it’d only last for a few games. Warren is the most movable wing on a Suns roster that’s crammed with them, but he’d need to start (or play heavy minutes) in order to boost his trade value.
All of this is without mentioning rookie Mikal Bridges, Troy Daniels, Davon Reed, or the possibility Phoenix swings a trade for a point guard before the season starts, which would almost certainly require moving a wing.
McDonough says they will continue to evaluate deals, but feel comfortable going into training camp with current PG rotation. Elié Okobo has impressed in group workout settings. Josh Jackson and Mikal Bridges would fill Booker’s minutes if he misses any regular season games.
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) September 11, 2018
However, even with all these potential moving pieces and competition for minutes at the 2 and the 3, Josh Jackson’s objective should be simple: secure a starting job on the wing to continue building long-term chemistry with Devin Booker on both ends.
Most people aren’t sold on Josh Jackson after an up-and-down rookie year, either because they stopped watching Suns basketball after December (understandable), believe his 2018 numbers were empty (not so much), or simply acknowledge that he didn’t contribute to winning basketball (fair). That last one seems unfair considering the dearth of talent in Phoenix, but the point still stands: Jackson has a lot of room for improvement on both ends.
On paper, the sophomore has a lot to offer this team. He’s a good cutter, has the potential for positional versatility on the defensive end and if he can just add a passable jumper, he’d become a solid third scoring option behind Booker and Deandre Ayton.
But whether it’s as part of a small-ball lineup with Booker and Ariza or simply because he’s too good to not have in the starting lineup, Josh Jackson should aspire to be more than just the first (or second) wing off the bench. After closing out his rookie year on such a promising note, he needs to prove to Kokoskov that his production wasn’t empty, and that he can build on that momentum to help Phoenix on both ends in 2018-19.