With contract buyouts of veteran players underway, a new report indicates that the Los Angeles Lakers had been focused on obtaining Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson, but have lost out to their Staples Center rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers.
Adrian Wojanarowski of ESPN wrote that Jackson, who will be a free agent this summer, completed his contract buyout with the Pistons and is reportedly set to join the Clippers once he clears waivers.
“Jackson had become the highest-impact player available in the buyout marketplace and had been a target of the Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers,” Wojnarowski wrote.
During the weeks leading up to the trade deadline, the Lakers were unable to craft any key deals to bolster their roster for what they hope will be a long playoff run.
One report indicated that the tragic death of Kobe Bryant served as one reason for the lack of activity on the part of the Lakers.
The Pistons’ buyout of Jackson marks the second major departure from their team this month, after center Andre Drummond was dealt to the Cleveland Cavaliers at the trade deadline.
The 29-year-old Jackson has only been able to play in 14 games for the Pistons this season, the result of a slow recovery from a back injury. In those contests, he averaged 14.9 points, 5.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game.
Jackson is expected to add depth to the Clippers’ reserve unit and will join good friend Paul George on the Clippers.
