Cleveland Cavaliers: Jarrett Jack Is Ready To Go, Should Be Prime Point Guard Target

Free agent point guard Jarrett Jack is healthy again and he’s ready to get back to work. If he’s indeed fully healthy, the Cleveland Cavaliers should sign Jack.

The Cleveland Cavaliers may finally have their backup point guard. Free agent point guard Jarrett Jack finally seems ready to play after spending the last year recovering from a torn ACL and medial meniscus.

Jack, who injured himself while running the fastbreak in a game against the Boston Celtics last January, is a 33-year-old veteran guard that once signed a four-year, $25 million deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Jack was then traded by the Cavs to make room for LeBron James after the latter announced his return to the franchise that drafted him first overall in 2003.

Now, Jack may get his chance to play with James.

Jack is a combo guard that knows how to score and facilitate as he’s averaged at least 12.0 points per game in four out of his last five seasons and 4.1 assists per game in every season of that same span.

Over the past two seasons, Jack hasn’t been able to find his shooting stroke from deep and his 33.3 percent conversion rate on corner threes last season is the lowest it’s been since the 2010-2011 season. However, Jack is a 34.6 percent shooter from deep for his career. He shoots 39.5 percent on corner threes for his career.

Jack is especially effective around the rim and in the midrange. In fact, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that the midrange is the bread-and-butter of Jack’s game. It doesn’t come off of pick-and-rolls either. Jack will take his man off the dribble, with or without a screener, and knock down a midrange shot as he creates space with above-average ball-handling ability.

With his veteran savvy and skillset, Jack will be a dangerous playmaker for the Cavs’ second unit.

Because of his ability to get to the rim, shooters will be open behind the line as a defender gravitates towards the paint area. Players like Kyle Korver don’t have to worry about Jack refusing to hit them with a pass after he runs off a screen and a player like Derrick Williams will be found for easy buckets as he’s cutting towards the rim in the halfcourt or running the fastbreak.

The best clip of Jack’s play, in terms of how he fits on the Cleveland Cavaliers second unit, is of a game he played against the New York Knicks as a Cavs player. In this clip, Jack’s full arsenal is on display. Replace Dion Waiters in the video with Kyle Korver and this is exactly what the Cavs should expect from Jack if signed.

On the defensive end, Jack is a bulldog. He’s thickly built and strong but quick enough laterally to stay with most point guards so he’s able to guard both positions. His on-ball defense will fit perfectly within a Cavs second unit that will also feature Derrick Williams and (potentially) DeAndre Liggins or Iman Shumpert by the playoffs. That will make the Cavs’ bench a great defensive unit, something that hasn’t been said about the group all season.

Will the Cavs sign Jack?

In this day and age, a torn ACL isn’t as debilitating an injury as it was in the past, even for a player of Jack’s age. Mario Chalmers and Jordan Farmar, who recently worked out for the Cleveland Cavaliers, are two other point guards heavily considered to be favorites to sign with the defending champs. However, that they haven’t already been signed could mean that the Cavs were waiting to see how Jack looked when he was back in action, as he’s been expected to host private workouts for interested teams for quite some time now.

The deadline for players to sign with a playoff-bound team and be eligible to play in the playoffs in March 1st. It’s now or never for Jack and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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