Philadelphia 76ers: Is Aaron Jackson an Option in Free Agency?

In lieu of a successful season overseas, CSKA Moscow stud Aaron Jackson could be looking to pursue an NBA contract this offseason — should the Philadelphia 76ers be interested?

The Euroleague Final Four has drawn to a close, with Fenerbache Ulker Instanbul taking home the championship. It’s a handful of players on a team who didn’t make the championship game, though, that could have relevance for the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason, both of whom hail from CSKA Moscow — Milos Teodosic and Aaron Jackson.

Among those in recent EuroLeague Final 4 who could pursue NBA interest: Fenerbahce MVP Ekpe Udoh, CSKA's Milos Teodosic and Aaron Jackson.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 31, 2017

While I’ve already attempted to debunk the narrative surrounding Teodosic’s fit, Jackson’s potential is different. Albeit a veteran at 31, the former Duquesne star has the offensive tools needed to find success in the NBA, as well as the stylistic values needed to fit alongside Ben Simmons in the Sixers’ rotation. He’d also be a cheaper option than Teodosic.

Jackson profiles mostly as an offensive spark plug, something Brett Brown needs in reserve. He’s a solid outside shooter, boasting a 47.7 percent success rate from deep this season in Moscow. The former collegiate star moves well off the ball as well, finding space off of screens and getting into his shots with a quick, fluid release point.

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He also has a solid arsenal off the bounce, relying on a quick first step and shifty ball handling to create space from mid-range or get to the rim and finish. While his length is a concern in regards to how that finishing touch will translate to the NBA (6-3 wingspan, 6-4 height), his quickness should be enough to yield quality production at the NBA level.

Jackson also has the playmaking touch needed to shoulder the load as a secondary initiator alongside Simmons or take on the role of backup point guard when needed, tallying 3.6 assists per contest in 21.7 minutes per game this season. His quick shot release makes him a dangerous dual threat out in the pick-and-roll, to boot.

Perhaps the most worrying part of Jackson’s game is defense, as his aforementioned length — or lack thereof — puts a massive cap on his ability to defend at the NBA level. While his size at 6-4 should be enough to remain respectable against NBA point guards, there’s still a gap there separating him from the majority of successful defenders currently gracing the league.

As the NBA continues to trend towards versatility and a multi-positional defenders, that could become an even bigger concern.

The positive there, though, stems from Joel Embiid, as the Sixers will sport one of the league’s most prolific rim protectors. Aside from heavy switching given their rotational size, a lot of Brett Brown’s defensive scheming will boil down to funneling drives in Embiid’s direction — something that could help stave off the negative impact Jackson may have on that side of the ball.

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At that stage in the analysis department, it comes down to whether or not Jackson is worth the contract — a debacle that will largely be decided by how much that contract commands, assuming he makes the leap to NBA ball. The Sixers already saw the Sergio Rodriguez experiment fizzle out this season, while Jackson’s limited defensive tools could be the catalyst for a similar fate if his offensive production doesn’t hold up.

With Jerryd Bayless and T.J. McConnell already gracing the roster and another guard potentially being introduced via the draft, Jackson’s role — should he come to Philadelphia — would likely be limited from the start. Even if the Sixers go for a player like Josh Jackson or Jayson Tatum in the draft, the potential for other (better) additions in free agency still limits the extent of Jackson’s ceiling in a Sixers uniform.

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Not only would Jackson need to gain leverage as the Sixers’ top guard signee this offseason, but he’d have to prove his worth at a position that’s quickly becoming loaded for a Sixers team that will likely run multiple different rotations around Simmons and Embiid.

Assuming it’s not on a minimal contract, there’s really no reason for Bryan Colangelo to be heavily considering Jackson.