After discussions all offseason, the Herb Jones trade rumors may have finally been put to bed. As NBA Insider Jake Fischer reported, he doesn't expect Jones to be traded, saying: “One of the best contracts in the league, New Orleans knows that.”
Keeping Jones is almost essential if the Pelicans plan to compete in the West next season. The Pelicans' defense took a major hit after trading for Jordan Poole, selecting Jeremiah Fears at pick 7 and Derik Queen at pick 13. All three of these players are tremendous offensive talents, but they have glaring defensive weaknesses.
After these moves, it was clear that the Pelicans were going to lean on Jones heavily on the defensive side of the ball. Obviously, there's only so much he can do all by himself, but his impact isn’t one that should fly under the radar.
Last season, Herb appeared in just 20 games, dealing with a shoulder injury that ultimately required surgery. The Pelicans finished that season as the second-worst defense in the league. However, the two years prior, New Orleans had a top-six defense both times, and the majority of that was because of Herb.
He is already one of the league's most elite one-on-one defenders, but it’s the way he recovers for his teammates that separates him from the rest. Jones is like the guy who stays back at the end of a party and cleans up all the spills and mistakes everyone else made during the night. The challenging thing for Jones this season is that he’ll likely be cleaning up more mistakes than ever, as Joe Dumars may have forgotten about defense when building this team.
Keeping Herb isn’t all about defense
Jones sticking around won’t only improve New Orleans' defense but also their offense. Excluding last season, he has established a reputation as a reliable shooter. Improving from 33% to 41% from three over his first 3 seasons. New Orleans ranked in the bottom five in both three-point attempts and made last season, so Jones's return to the lineup, alongside some new offensive weapons, is expected to improve New Orleans' spacing.
The Pelicans keeping Jones around isn’t all about on-court production; it also helps keep continuity within the locker room. Herb has spent all four years of his NBA career with the Pelicans and has done nothing but embrace the city and the fans. Keeping him around is yet another way for Joe Dumars to say he felt last year was a fluke.
Keeping Herb Jones is the right decision. He’s an elite defender, a fan favorite, a culture-setter, and a player who raises this team’s ceiling and floor.