The Detroit Pistons made Reggie Jackson their highest-paid player this summer, this after fellow point guard Brandon Jennings went down with a devastating, season-ending Achilles injury.
Jennings says he won’t put up a fuss when asked to back up Jackson next season; the 25-year-old simply wants to be healthy and back on the court.
Jennings won’t rush back, and admits that he’s unsure if he’ll be ready to go once training camp rolls around.
Per the Detroit Free Press (via The Point Game Podcast):
“Bringing in Reggie Jackson was smart,” Jennings said. “I’m supposed to be out, really, for nine months, and they need a point guard. … My main thing is just to get healthy. Hey, if I have to come off the bench and be the sixth man or whatever, I’m fine with that. Man, I just want to play basketball again. I just want to get back on the court and have fun.”
“Basically, I’m just taking my time,” Jennings said. “I’m going to come back when I’m ready. … I don’t know if I’ll be ready for training camp. I don’t know for sure. But I’m definitely going to take my time through training camp and also through the preseason. I probably won’t be back to myself until at least around December. That’s a for sure. You know, I haven’t played in seven months.”
But even as he’s been physically limited in preparing his game for a comeback, he’s also been getting mentally ready. […] “I actually had time to sit back, and I really started studying other players’ games,” Jennings said. “I got this highlight tape on Kenny Anderson, Tim Hardaway, and I’ve been studying a lot on James Harden lately, how he just gets to the free throw line easily.”
