Detroit’s local lefty legend has taken a big step towards making his return to the hardwood.
Point guard Brandon Jennings, who ruptured his left Achilles tendon in late January, has officially received full medical clearance to return to basketball activities, according to Vincent Goodwill of CSN Chicago. The 25-year-old could reportedly be back in action for the Pistons before the end of the calendar year.
Pistons guard Brandon Jennings (@thinkiminthe90s) cleared for full basketball activities by docs. Late Nov-early Dec return possible
— Vincent Goodwill (@vgoodwill) September 22, 2015
Jennings averaged 15.4 points per game and 6.6 assists per game before going down last season. He has often carried a reputation of being an inefficient chucker that uses far too many of his team’s possessions and can singlehandedly shoot his team out of a game. But shot selection notwithstanding, Jennings is a gifted scorer and an underrated playmaker that really blossommed for the Pistons last year after Josh Smith was released.
However, after the team gave Reggie Jackson a 5-year, $80 million extension (a deal that even had fellow NBA players scratching their heads), it seems as though Jennings’ role on the team has been marginalized a bit. While it may not quite be a Draymond Green/David Lee-type situation, it’s highly probable that Jennings will find himself coming off the bench behind Jackson once he does make his return to the court, something that Jennings said he was fine with. The Pistons also brought in veteran point guard Steve Blake over the summer, with second-year guard Spencer Dinwiddie in the fold as well.
An Achilles rupture is one of the worst injuries a professional basketball player can suffer, and with reduced role awaiting him upon his return, it makes no sense for Jennings to rush back.
In a career that to this point has been known for bad contested threes, “Bucks in six,” and one of the greatest fluke performances in NBA history with his 55-point game as a rookie, hopefully Jennings can rewrite the script in a more low-usage role once he finally gets healthy again.
H/T theScore
Image Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
