John Wall vs. Reggie Jackson: Who should start for the LA Clippers?

John Wall is the best point guard on the LA Clippers in terms of pure talent.

Since entering the NBA as the No. 1 pick in 2010, John Wall has been the model of consistency. A fantastic primary playmaker with handles and finishing to match, Wall has the ultimate skill-set of a blacktop warrior. Since his third season, Wall’s teams have been 6.6 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor — largely because of his exceptional manipulation of defenses and underrated effort on defense. He’s been an All-Star five times and made an All-NBA team in 2017, which is the last year he played more than half of a regular season.

And there lays the issue: it’s hard to say what John Wall looks like at full strength in his age 32 season. In 40 games with the Rockets, he averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 assists on a career-low in field goal percentage (40.4%). This was on a team that abandoned its Playoff aspirations after trading James Harden eight games into his season. So where does he stand today?

The Verdict: John Wall is the obvious starter come Playoff time.

Regardless of who starts during the regular season, it’s obvious that John Wall is the right pick for the LA Clippers starting point guard. It’s completely reasonable to be concerned over his health, but he’s also the most impactful option here. First and foremost, Wall is the best playmaker the LA Clippers have rostered since Chris Paul; let alone on the current roster. With two superstars featured in the lineup, it’s important for Los Angeles to deploy a point guard with natural passing instincts to run the show.

Wall is also a more intensive on-ball defender and can pounce at the basketball when exposed. Even if he loses a step in terms of athleticism, he’ll always have his quickness and timing. Plus, Wall is highly-motivated following years lost to injury and… well… tanking in Houston. Giving him more reps in the regular season will help Wall get sharp for the postseason, which is the primary focus for these Clippers.

Jackson is ultimately better suited as a sixth man coming off the bench to offer a scoring punch.