Thunder GM says Reggie Jackson trade hasn't been considered
Given how the James Harden saga unfolded just a couple of years ago, Thunder fans have every reason to worry about what might happen with point guard Reggie Jackson if he and the team can't reach an agreement by the Oct. 31 deadline.
Jackson will be a restricted free agent next summer if the parties can't close a deal by Halloween, but Thunder general manager Sam Presti said Thursday that the team is committed to retaining Jackson.
Presti says he sees Reggie Jackson as a "core member" and the franchise will give it their "maximum, best chance" to get it done.
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) September 25, 2014
Presti says there still hasn't been a consideration to trade Jackson if a deal isn't reached before the Oct. 31 deadline.
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) September 25, 2014
Of course, if Presti and the Thunder get to a point where they realize Jackson is destined for restricted free agency, things could change rather quickly.
When Harden rejected a lucrative but below-max extension in 2012, Presti moved swiftly to trade the young All-Star to the Houston Rockets just days before the deadline for rookie-contract extensions.
Jackson is not the player Harden was then and will not command nearly the same price tag, which could help negotiations. But how will Presti respond if they haven't reached a deal by the 11th hour?