Philadelphia took another step towards finalizing their opening day roster on Monday. The team waived point guard Pierre Jackson and released guard J.P. Tokoto.
Of the two moves, Jackson is the slightly more noteworthy. After a rather explosive career at Baylor as a flashy point guard, Jackson gained a bit of a fan base from Sixers fans, who endearingly called him “Pappy Jack.”
Jackson’s attempt to break in the NBA and with Philadelphia, however, never gained any traction. The team drafted him out of Baylor in the 2013 NBA Draft, but then traded him to Pelicans as part of the Jrue Holiday/Nerlens Noel exchange. Then, after spending 2013-14 in the NBA developmental league, the Sixers re-acquired him back from the Pelicans in exchange for Russ Smith’s rights.
Entering the 2014-15 season with a crack of making the roster, Jackson then ruptured his Achilles in the opening minutes of Summer League in Orlando. Returning from the injury and impressing at times in the 2015 Summer League, Philadelphia then offered him a contract.
However, it never worked out as he struggled to stay healthy–playing only 3 of the 7 preseason games because of a groin injury. When he did play, it wasn’t pretty–he made 1 of 14 shots.
According to Sixers Insider Dei Lynam, Brett Brown told Jackson to “go get healthy”.
Tokoto, the 58th selection in last summer’s NBA Draft by Philadelphia, was never really expected to make the team. Brown says if he were to make it in the NBA, it likely would be as a defender.
The two moves likely indicate that guard T.J. McConnell will make the team. Clubs have until Tuesday to finalize their rosters.
Update: John Finger is reporting the team also waived Furman Aldemir, Jordan McRae and Scottie Wilbekin. It appears Christian Wood has made the roster as well.
Finger lists the following as the 15-16 roster, at least to start the season:
15-16 Sixers: Canaan, Covington, Noel, Okafor, Holmes, Wood, Stauskas, Grant, Sampson, McConnell, Embiid, Landry, Wroten, Marshall, Thompson
— John Finger (@jrfinger) October 26, 2015
