Subscribe
Follow Us
The New Orleans Pelicans have been relatively quiet through free agency and during the offseason in general so far. There were whispers they were considering trading Zion Williamson during the NBA draft, but none of those really came to fruition. Still, the Pelicans did sneakily make one of the best moves this offseason — and that is locking up All-Defensive swingman Herb Jones to a long-term contract.
Jones is obviously going to be a major part of New Orleans' future, especially with what he showed on the defensive side of the floor during his first two years in the NBA. But they won with the price they ultimately retained him for. Jones signed a four-year, $56 million deal for the defensive-minded wing, which is surprisingly low for what he brought to the table for New Orleans.
Why it was the best move for the Pelicans
Apart from it being the best move, it was really the only relevant move for the Pelicans. Aside from Herb Jones, New Orleans' only other signings were Cody Zeller, whom they signed to a one-year minimum deal. They also signed EJ Liddell, their 41st pick from 2022 who missed the entire 2022-23 season due to a torn ACL, to a three-year, $6.2 million contract.
Those other signings did not particularly move the needle for New Orleans. Neither did Jones' for the short term. But his deal has a major impact for the Pelicans in the long run. At $18.7 million a season, Jones likely has one of the best value deals in the NBA. While some may think that may be just right or even a little much for a player who only plays one side of the floor, Jones' talents on the defensive end are well-advanced for a player at his age.
Jones was a notable snub from the All-Defensive team this past season. The 24-year-old earned just 15 second-team votes, which is incredibly low for someone who was the best defender on the team that finished with the No. 6 defensive rating in the league. In his sophomore season, Jones started all of his 66 appearances and averaged 9.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals.
Drafted 35th overall by New Orleans in 2021, Jones instantly became a major piece of the Pelicans core mainly due to his defensive gifts and effort. He became a full-time starter just two months into his rookie campaign and finished his debut season earning All-Rookie Second Team honors, with averages of 9.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game.
Despite not getting the recognition he deserves right now, Jones should become a perennial All-Defensive selection for many years. More importantly for the Pels, he is going to be a major part of this team moving forward and they get to keep him at such a bargain price.
When healthy, New Orleans is one of the best teams in the NBA. The Pelicans proved that when they steamrolled out of the gates to start the 2022-23 season and even temporarily held the top-seed in the Western Conference for some time.
Unfortunately, that is the biggest problem of this Pelicans team. They can't seem to stay at full strength, and that most reflects their franchise star Zion Williamson, who played just 29 games last season after missing the entirety of the 2021-22 campaign.
While Williamson got caught up in some steamy allegations this summer, he is still one of the best players in the league when healthy, which he showcased during the 2020-21 season.
If they ever right the ship, the Pelicans should be a deadly team for years to come. Herbert Jones will be a major piece of that potential juggernaut of a team moving forward.
