The Toronto Raptors have signed forward Josh Jackson to a training camp deal. This is a non-guaranteed contract. The 6’8″ wing was selected fourth overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2017 NBA Draft.
He will compete with D.J. Wilson, Juancho Hernangomez, and Gabe Brown for the final roster spot on the Raptors.
Jackson played his first two NBA seasons with the Suns. During his rookie 2017-18 season, in 77 appearances and 35 starts, the forward averaged 13.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1 steal per game.
Plus, in the Suns’ 124-109 loss against the Golden State Warriors on March 17, 2018, Jackson scored a career-high 36 points in 36 minutes of action. He finished 14-of-23 (60.9%) shooting from the field and 2-for-4 (50%) from downtown.
At the end of the season, Jackson was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
Raptors sign forward Josh Jackson to training camp deal
In the following season, the wing averaged 11.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 79 games played. He also shot a career-high 32.4% from 3-point range.
On July 7, 2019, the Suns traded Jackson, De’Anthony Melton, a 2020 second-round draft pick, and a 2021 second-round draft pick to the Memphis Grizzlies for Jevon Carter and Kyle Korver.
While with the Grizzlies in September 2019, Jackson was assigned to the Memphis Hustle, the team’s NBA G League affiliate. If he can show glimpses of his first-round talent with the Raptors, he’ll have no problem making the team.
In 26 games with the Hustle, the wing averaged 20.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. In addition to averaging 31.3 minutes, he shot 44.7% from the floor and 38% from beyond the arc.
Jackson ranked eighth in the G League in usage percentage (27.8).
Then, the Grizzlies recalled the forward from the Hustle on January 27, 2020.
During the 2020 offseason, Jackson signed as a free agent with the Detroit Pistons. Through 62 appearances and 25 starts, the forward averaged a career-high 13.4 points per game.
Last season, in 39 games with Detroit, the Kansas product averaged 7.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.
In a four-team trade on February 10, 2022, the Pistons traded Jackson and Trey Lyles to the Sacramento Kings, the Pistons traded a 2023 second-round draft pick and a 2024 second-round draft pick to the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Los Angeles Clippers traded cash and Serge Ibaka to the Bucks.
While with the Kings, Josh Jackson finished the 2021-22 season with former Suns teammates Alex Len and Richaun Holmes. Now, he must fight for his spot on the Raptors.
