After knee injuries and surgeries sidelined Jarrett Jack for the better part of two seasons, he was back last season with the Knicks and showed he’s got some game left in those 34-year-old legs. He started 56 games for New York, averaging 7.5 points and 5.6 assists per night, and while his shooting has slipped (an unimpressive 48.9 true shooting percentage, and shooting 29.1 percent from three) he showed he still could have a role in the NBA.
That role may be back with the Pelicans. Shams Charania of The Athletic broke the news.
Free agent guard Jarrett Jack has agreed to a one-year deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, per league sources.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 17, 2018
Jack will sign a non-guaranteed deal, allowing him to compete for a reserve point guard spot for Pelicans. https://t.co/MQmKkPUjq0
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 17, 2018
Jack has a chance here, because while the Pelicans are bringing a lot of guards to camp there is only one worth trusting, Jrue Holiday. He is a borderline All-Star. After that, they are putting a lot of trust in Elfrid Payton as a point guard (to call the feeling on him around the league “divisive” would be kind), and behind them there are Ian Clark, Frank Jackson, and Trevon Bluiett. A solid veteran like Jack, asked to play a smaller role than he did in New York ( playing 25 minutes a night), could work.
The Pelicans are going to have one of the most interesting training camps in the league, because it is an actual tryout with roster spots and minutes up for grabs. They are not going through the motions in the Big Easy.
