Isaiah

Jackson

With Yanic Konan-Niederhäuser (foot) done for the season, Jackson has moved into the backup center role. The former first-round pick had his best game as a Clipper on Saturday, recording a double-double along with three steals. Jackson played 24 minutes and even started the second half in place of starter Brook Lopez (four points, one rebound). The veteran center only played 12 minutes, and Saturday’s game, being the Clippers’ second in as many nights, may have been a factor. Consistency has been an issue for Jackson throughout his career, but he doesn’t need to play starters’ minutes to provide value. Keep an eye on him during the first two games of the Clippers’ four-game Week 20.

Konan-Niederhäuser (foot) injured his right foot during the first half of Wednesday’s win over the Pacers. More will be learned about the severity of the injury on Thursday, and the rookie has already been ruled out for games in San Antonio (Friday) and Memphis (Saturday). If Konan-Niederhäuser has to miss time, Isaiah Jackson would slide into the backup center role. He played 18 minutes against the Pacers, finishing with 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and three blocked shots.

Konan-Niederhäuser injured his right foot when he landed awkwardly after attempting to block an Aaron Nesmith layup attempt during the first half of Wednesday’s game. While the rookie center required assistance getting back to the locker room, he was able to put some weight on his right foot. Isaiah Jackson has entered the rotation and will likely slide into the backup center role if Konan-Niederhäuser misses time.

Mathurin and Jackson were dealt to LA as part of the trade that sent Ivica Zubac to the Pacers, and both will be available to debut for their new team against Houston. Mathurin could join the starting lineup immediately or, at the very least, operate as a microwave scorer off the bench. Jackson figures to see backup minutes at center behind Brook Lopez. Mathurin is worth rostering in standard fantasy leagues, but Jackson is not.

Jackson was a popular sleeper heading into this season after Myles Turner left town, but he battled an injury at the start of the season and was passed on the depth chartby Jay Huff. Jackson is averaging just 6.4 points and 5.6 rebounds in under 17 minutes per game and has averaged just 12 minutes in his last nine games. He fits well alongside John Collins, so the Clippers could give the 24-year-old a chance to carve out a role as their starting center as they look to build towards the future.

Even though the Pacers are not in contention this season, Zubac is signed through the 2027-28 season with his three-year, $58.6 million deal. The 28-year-old is averaging 14.4 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 43 games this season. He will slide into the starting center role for a team in desperate need of a big man, and then will form a strong core with Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam next season. This trade is also good news for the Thunder, who own the rights to the Clippers’ first-round pick. With the Clippers trading away Zubac and James Harden, that pick figures to be pretty high in the upcoming draft. The Pacers are also sending their 2016 first-round pick to the Clippers, but that pick is top 1-4 and 10-30 protected. Given that the Pacers currently have the third-worst record in the NBA, it would be a huge risk for them to play their best lineup going forward and risk picking in that 5-9 range. As a result, we may see a lot of rest days for their better players, including Zubac, in the days ahead.

Siakam will sit out the second leg of the Pacers’ back-to-back set, and he’ll join multiple key players on the sideline. Jarace Walker, Jay Huff and Isaiah Jackson are all candidates for increased run while Spicy P is out.

Jackson has barely been in the rotation recently, but he was able to make a big impact off the bench in this game. He was more impactful than Jay Huff, which led to him playing 25 minutes, while Huff only logged 12 minutes. Managers shouldn’t grow accustomed to that; Jackson hasn’t played 25 minutes in a game since mid-December. This was a strong performance for him, but that doesn’t mean he should be rostered.

Saturday’s game was the first for Jackson since suffering a concussion during a December 22 loss to the Celtics. While solid in his 17 minutes, the former first-round pick was not in a position to be streamed in any fantasy league. And that’s unlikely to change anytime soon. The Pacers play three games in Week 14, starting with the 76ers on Monday.

Jackson is available to make his first appearance in a game since December 22. While Jay Huff will remain the starter, Jackson’s return will likely result in fewer minutes for Micah Potter and Tony Bradley. However, there’s no need to roster Jackson immediately, given the time missed.