Stan Van Gundy shoots down Reggie Jackson trade rumors

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NBA: Detroit Pistons at Orlando Magic
Mar 24, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson (1) drives to the basket against the Orlando Magic during the second quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Major news broke out yesterday of a potential blockbuster trade involving Detroit Pistons starting point guard Reggie Jackson.

Trade rumors are nothing new to the starting point guard, who seems to be brought up any time there is a potential trade in the NBA. The reports even indicated that the Pistons packaged a first-round draft pick with Jackson in exchange for Eric Bledsoe of the Phoenix Suns. First-round picks are like gold in the NBA, so the report suggested that the Pistons were serious about acquiring the athletic, star point guard from Phoenix.

Pistons president of basketball operations and head coach Stan Van Gundy addressed the media today about the trade rumors that were swirling yesterday.

From The Detriot News:

“It was crazy yesterday,” Van Gundy said Friday. “I left practice yesterday and there’s a rumor out on Reggie and Bledsoe so I had to get home and call Reggie and say we’re not trading you for Bledsoe. I don’t usually address all of them but it’s early in the (season). You can’t address all of them at the trade deadline, but I felt the need to address this.”

Jackson is off to productive start to the season averaging 16 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds a game. He has also been playing confident and with purpose leading the Pistons to an impressive 5-3 start, taking down two west coast giants in the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers in their recent road trip. This may be why Stan Van Gundy was so quick to dismiss the Eric Bledsoe for Reggie Jackson trade rumors.

Van Gundy is no stranger to trades, having made a total of eleven since he arrived in Detroit in 2014. Van Gundy has also been quite successful with many of those deals, perhaps none more so than when he acquired Tobias Harris, the team’s leading scorer, in February of 2016. He also received Reggie Bullock and Marcus Morris, two quality rotation players, for a mere second-round pick from the aforementioned Suns in July of 2015. He eventually flipped Morris for defensive stalwart Avery Bradley, who has played a major part in the Pistons early success this year.

With that said, it appears you can take the Pistons out of the Bledsoe sweepstakes as Van Gundy made it clear to Reggie and the media that he will not be traded for the recently disgruntled Suns point guard.

The Pistons resume play tonight at home, beginning a five-game stretch at Little Caesars Arena. First up are the Milwaukee Bucks (4-4). Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. ET.