Clippers' Isaiah Jackson Gives Promising Update Ahead of 2026-27 Season

It has been almost two years since center Isaiah Jackson tore his right Achilles tendon while playing for the Indiana Pacers, and he finally sounds like himself again.

On Saturday, the last day of training camp in Hawaii for the Los Angeles Clippers, Jackson said his Achilles is fully healed and that he felt terrific this offseason, which is great news for a team that badly needs more size up front.

Jackson said he knows head coach Ty Lue's system much better now, and he has been working with the first team throughout camp, per Youngmisuk.

He also made a bold prediction about where he fits.

"I think I'm going to be in the starting role," Jackson told reporter Ohm Youngmisuk on Saturday.

That is a big statement from a player who did not start a single game for the Clippers last season.

Los Angeles acquired Jackson on Feb. 5 in the deal that sent center Ivica Zubac to Indiana, and he played in 17 games for the Clippers, all off the bench.

He averaged 7.5 points and 4.6 rebounds in 15.9 minutes per game during that stretch and made 76.4% of his shots.

The Achilles tear came in November 2024, when he was still with the Pacers, and it ended that season after just five games.

Coming back from an injury like that takes time, so hearing him say he had a strong summer is the best sign yet that he can handle a bigger load.

Jackson's main competition is center Brook Lopez, who started 40 of his 75 games last season and averaged 8.5 points and 1.2 blocks.

Lopez is not guaranteed the starting job this time, and the Clippers may have already hinted at their new starting lineup during camp.

Jackson should get the first crack at the job.

Lopez still has plenty to offer, but Jackson brings energy and athleticism that this roster lacks, especially after the Clippers finished the trade that sent Kawhi Leonard to Toronto and reshaped the roster around guard Darius Garland.

His three-year, $21 million deal pays him $7 million this season and $6.4 million next season, so he is a cheap option if he can hold down the spot.

If he can protect the rim and run the floor with Garland, the starting group would have a much different feel than it did a year ago.

Plenty of people doubt this team, and the Clippers were heavily disrespected in a recent power ranking.

A healthy, confident Jackson would go a long way toward proving those rankings wrong, especially if he and Garland click early.

The Clippers open the preseason Sunday against the Golden State Warriors at Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu.

After that, they face the Toronto Raptors in Vancouver on Oct. 10 and the Denver Nuggets at Intuit Dome on Oct. 14, before the regular season begins Wednesday, Oct. 21, against the Sacramento Kings.

If Jackson is out there with the starters on Sunday, Lue will have already answered one of the biggest questions of camp.