When Herb Jones agreed to a three-year $68 million extension with the New Orleans Pelicans, the instant reaction from fans was all positive. To lock up a clear-cut top 5 defender in the NBA who has yet to reach his prime for less than $30 million annually was and will continue to be a steal.
Now, just a little over a month removed from Jones signing this deal, the opinions people have about this extension have only grown more positive. With the Knicks giving Mikal Bridges a 4-year extension worth $150 million, fans only feel better about the money the Pelicans are paying Jones. For Bridges, a player that some may argue isn't better than Jones, to get nearly $15 million more a season is laughable.
But what if I told you there's a world where Jones could make his contract even more valuable? What if he was the Pelican to take an offensive leap this year?
Herb has all the tools to take a jump offensively. He can handle the ball like a guard, has great passing instincts, has consistently improved his jump shot, has a frame that rarely sees him get bullied in the paint, and can finish at the rim through contact.
The time is now if Herb is going to do this
If you ask anyone in the NBA world why Herb Jones has stuck in the NBA, the answer will always be his defense. From his first game with the Pelicans, there was something different about his approach on that side of the floor. However, that doesn't mean there isn't more to his game; it doesn't mean he should be okay with just being an elite defender.
We saw in December of last season, when other players were out, that Herb can take close to 20 shots a night, and be relied on to score. And I think that's something the Pelicans are going to need from him this season.
With New Orleans' goal this season being to make the playoffs, they are going to need every possible win they can get, given how strong the Western Conference is. So on those back-to-back nights when Zion Williamson or Trey Murphy or Dejounte Murray is out and this team needs a win, I think they can trust Jones to do that.
With this core's injury history, someone is bound to miss an extended period of time at some point this season. If the Pelicans can rely on Herb Jones to be a 2nd or 3rd scoring option during those times, then his contract will only become that much more valuable.
Whether Jones takes the next step offensively or not, Pelicans fans can sleep well knowing they have one of the league's best defenders locked up on the best contract in the league.