Dallas Mavericks: Justin Jackson is putting in work this summer

The Dallas Mavericks made a couple trades before the deadline last season, but one is talked about a lot less than the other. However, Justin Jackson seems to be ready for a much bigger role this year.

The debate for who will be the Dallas Mavericks starting five this coming season is one that persists still to this day. Some may say it is a bad thing that Dallas doesn’t have five clear cut starters, while others may say that the bench depth is the reason it is hard to say at this point. Either way, the question has still not been answered.

One player who would love to earn his way into the starting lineup is newly added Maverick, Justin Jackson. Jackson has not been a very memorable NBA player at this point in his career, but his playing style and abilities on the court should really be translating to the professional game better than they have so far.

One reason that many people have come to believe for why Jackson has not been very successful is because of his very thin frame. Through his first two seasons in the league, Jackson has kept his slender frame the whole time. This summer, however, he has put on some muscle to be able to hold his own on defense.

If Jackson can start to get his shot in rhythm and be able to battle with the bigger wings in the league, he immediately becomes an asset to this team. As of right now, he just has the tools to become so. It would be really nice if the Mavs could rely on the former UNC standout when the season comes around.

As of right now, I would be surprised to see Jackson in the starting lineup on opening day. He may work his way into the starting lineup, but it would take some time and he would need to gain some confidence from Rick Carlisle. If those things happen, I would love to see him getting more time this year.

Jackson has averaged just 7 points in about 21 minutes per game throughout his career. He is known to be a good three-point shooter, but his percentage needs to take a big step forward in the coming seasons if he is going to be getting any money in his next contract.

I am eager to see what kind of changes Jackson will make to his game this year. He is a skilled player, but needs to prove that before the Mavs can justify a roster spot for him once his contract is up. This year will be very important for that.