Herbert ‘Herb' Jones has quietly become one of the NBA's best rookies this season. The New Orleans Pelicans big man has been the backbone of the defense in just his first year playing. His long arms and quick defensive instincts have made him a prime piece to pair with Zion Williamson once he returns.

There's no better proof of Herb Jones' defensive prowess than this insane Pelicans stat. With just a few games left in the regular season, the rookie big man has already surpassed two franchise legends in Chris Paul and Anthony Davis in terms of total steals and blocks in a single season. Wow. (via Bally Sports NO)

The Pelicans are in the midst of a play-in push thanks in large part to Herb Jones' defensive intensity. The team is severely lacking in perimeter defense with the departure of Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart at various points in the season. While they aren't exactly a lockdown team right now, Jones saves them from being complete garbage on the defensive side of the ball.

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The biggest headlines for the Pelicans, though, has to be the new duo that formed in the mid-season. CJ McCollum, the team's prized acquisition during the trade deadline, has been unleashed in NOLA. Alongside Brandon Ingram, the duo have shot their way into a play-in spot and potential upset there.

It's possible that the Pelicans drop their games at some point in the playoffs. However, this season could still be considered a success, especially when considering the implications of this year.

Zion Williamson has missed the entirety of this season due to issues with his foot injury. They lost multiple consecutive games to start the year. Despite that, though, the team has rallied to make a late push to the playoffs. That bodes well for their future once Zion is eventually cleared to play professional basketball again.

With Jaxson Hayes dealing with bouts of inconsistency and off-court problems, the stage is set for Herb Jones to be the frontcourt pair of Williamson. It will be exciting to see these two work their magic on the court for the Pelicans next season.