Isaiah Jackson Grabs Clippers' Starting Center Job as Strus Exits Hurt
Jackson ran with the first unit and threw down two lob jams in his opener, while Max Strus limped off after just five minutes with a right foot issue.
Athletic starting center with Garland lob chemistry — grab the upside late.
- Jackson: 4 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 2 blk in 17 min
- Starting ahead of 38-year-old Brook Lopez
- Lopez: #223 overall, 19.4 FPTS/G last season (2025-26)
- Strus exited after 5 min with right foot injury
- Threw down 2 lobs from Garland in first 3 minutes
The Clippers' center question looks answered before the regular season even starts. Isaiah Jackson opened Sunday's preseason game with the first unit and posted 4 points on 2-of-3 shooting, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and two blocks across 17 minutes — modest counting numbers, but the role is the real story. He's carried that first-team spot through training camp and now sits ahead of 38-year-old Brook Lopez on the depth chart.
Jackson's appeal is simple: athleticism. He threw down two lobs from Darius Garland inside his first three minutes, exactly the kind of vertical spacing Lopez can no longer provide. For context, Lopez ranked just #223 overall (#41 among centers) last season (2025-26) while averaging 19.4 fantasy points per game across 75 appearances. The torch is being passed, and in fantasy terms that matters.
Strus Goes Down, Wagler Steps Up
The night turned murky when Max Strus exited after only five minutes with what looked like a non-contact injury to his right foot. Head coach Tyronn Lue offered nothing concrete, saying only that Strus will get further testing back in Los Angeles. Strus had looked set to open as a starter at shooting guard, so this is worth monitoring closely as opening night approaches.
If Strus misses time, rookie Keaton Wagler is the likely beneficiary. Wagler started the second half and finished with 15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and a block over 30 minutes — though he shot an ugly 3-of-15 from the floor and 1-of-11 from deep. He did bury a step-back jumper to seal the win, which tells you he isn't shy. Classic rookie profile: shaky percentages, playable counting stats, and far more appealing in points leagues than category formats.
The Fantasy Fallout
Add Isaiah Jackson in deeper leagues now. He's the clear starter, he fits the roster's need for athleticism, and the lob chemistry with Garland gives him a real path to steal, block and finish production that outpaces his draft cost. Lopez managers should brace for a demotion — his +9.5 fantasy-point bump over his last five games last season (2025-26) is a mirage against this depth chart.
On Strus and Wagler, wait for the testing results before committing roster space. If Strus is sidelined into the regular season, Wagler becomes a speculative streaming add in points formats only. Don't chase the 15-point line and ignore the 3-of-15 shooting — that's the part that'll hurt you in nine-cat.
