Detroit Pistons Coach Van Gundy Says They're Not Looking to Trade Reggie Jackson for Suns Guard Eric Bledsoe
Basketball enthusiasts are already used to hearing trade rumors concerning Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson. In fact, his name has come up numerous times already since last season. But this time, Pistons head coach/president Stan Van Gundy has decided to shut down the rumor before it spreads like wildfire.
"I left practice yesterday and there's a rumor out on Reggie and Bledsoe so I had to get home and call Reggie and say we're not trading you for Bledsoe. I don't usually address all of them but it's early in the (season)," Van Gundy said last Friday, via the Detroit News.
Well, Van Gundy obviously doesn't want the rumor to become a distraction because the Pistons have been playing really well from the start of the season. This may not be the right time to shake things up because the team is currently sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference with a 7–3 record after 10 games this season.
Jackson is looking to bounce back from a disappointing season, and so far, he has been playing fairly well. The seventh-year pro is averaging 15.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.2 steals in a little under 29 minutes per game this season. He's also shooting 42.6 percent from the floor, 33.3 percent from beyond the arc, and an impressive 91.4 percent from the free-throw line. His trade value should continue to trend up if he continues to play like this.
In any case, Jackson will likely see his name come up again in trade rumors before the deadline in February, but he doesn't seem to mind.
"I don't pay attention and really don't care (about rumors)," Jackson said, according to the Detroit News. "I'm still in Detroit and still here to compete and make my team the best it can be. If something else happens, it happens. That's not something I'm concerned about," he added.