Harden: Thunder's Jackson 'has to get the money that he's earned'

James Harden's been there.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Reggie Jackson finds himself in a bit of an awkward spot, tasked with leading the team in the absence of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook while also pondering his future in Oklahoma City. 

Jackson will be a restricted free agent this summer, and while word is that the Thunder are confident they can retain him, his price tag is said to be climbing into the $13 million annual salary range. With the Thunder's star duo and Serge Ibaka all well-paid and ownership ever averse to paying the luxury tax, it's anything but a certainty that Jackson will stay with the team long-term.

If this sounds familiar, it's because it's the same spot the Thunder and Harden found themselves in three years ago. With Harden set to cash in on a maximum contract the Thunder were unwilling to offer, Oklahoma City shipped him to Houston, where he's now paid like a superstar.

Having been through the same process, Harden shared some advice with Jackson on Sunday:

I just said to him, keep going out there and hooping. Do what you’re doing; going out there, being aggressive and attacking, being the vocal leader that you are and everything will fall into place.
...
I fell into the same situation, and that could have been my only contract. And I’m sure Reggie feels the same way. He has to get the money that he’s earned and that he’s worked his whole life for. It’s the nature of the business. It’s going to happen every single year and it’s going to continue to happen.

Harden seems pretty on-point here, though it's worth remembering that he's speaking from personal experience and not for Jackson. Jackson is said to want a starting job somewhere, which may not be possible in Oklahoma City, so his decision may be about more than just money at the end of the day.

The bearded Rockets superstar also credited Jackson for being able to lead in a tough situation with his contract status up in the air. It may be somewhat uncomfortable, but the reality is that the terrible Thunder injury situation is allowing Jackson to audition for the league as a starting point guard.

Through eight games, the returns are positive. Facing tough defensive pressure and with a paucity of teammates capable of creating for themselves, Jackson is averaging 21.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 7.6 assists. His 43.1 percent mark from the floor and 3.6 turnovers a night aren't great, but he's posting an above-average 17.8 player efficiency rating and the team has been a certifiable disaster on offense when he leaves the court.

Those are nice lines to add to a resume, even if the day-to-day is a grind.