Yeah. That's why contending teams must have ballance. One eye in the future and one eye in the present. If one of them can be traded for a good pg on a good contract (i.e Lawson) then the on court value will be more for the Rockets. At the 18 pick there are a few pfs that can replace Jones (but not DMO imo). Afterall without a good pg the contending aspirations of the Rockets again next year will be low. Josh Smith won't be coming back. He will find a contract more than the Rockets will be able to offer. What we know is that the Rockets will go after a big guy next offseason. And we know that ALL the other teams will have capspace. Teams that won't have any hope of landing big stars will go after young RFAs of other teams that are in the waiting of the stars. It will be a historic offseason that will change the league and we can only imagine how it will be, because it has never happened again in the past.
The question is a cheap first round pick with more upside vs DMo or TJones for around $10 million. That's why you don't see many teams trade their picks unless they get a pick in return or salary relief
This team really needs to upgrade three spots: 1) PF-Need someone who can play good team defense against good PFs 2) PG-Either a new starter or one who can come off the bench. Needs to be able to create offense and breakdown a defense 3) Shooter-This team needs a deadeye shooter who can play serious minutes and not be a defensive liability. I wonder what will happen in Chicago. Taj Gibson and Mike Dunleavy would both look good as Rockets.
Obviously there is some homer bias from Morey, but he did state that the odds that the 18th pick in the draft can produce the equivalent of Jones in year three is at the odds of 12% or 1/8 based on draft history. The guy has his flaws, and is not someone you can rely on to dominate a playoff series going against a lineup of DJordan and Griffin (who is playing at an MVP level and currently the best player in the playoffs thus far mind you). However the guy is a "productive" NBA rotation player. The chances of the Rockets "replacing" him with a player that low in the draft is low. Then there are the chances that they not only replace him, but replace him in year 1 when production is at an all-time high need in franchise history. I get the Jones frustration. I really do, but expectations around here are completely unrealistic. Yes, Morey needs an upgrade to go against the elite of the elite in the WCF playoffs, but there is no reason to believe that as a rotation player Jones is that easily replaceable with the tools that Morey has to replace much less MAJORLY upgrade to a level of someone like Griffin, Aldridge, etc. I think you know this though, and that's why you mentioned creating an upgrade elsewhere to create a strength at another easier upgraded position. To me, I agree that this would be the most logical way to improve against the elite. You aren't getting talent like that at the 4 most likely so upgrade somewhere you can. In the meantime I still think Jones and D-Mo have another level they can get to which would really help. Folks like Jopat/BBH/Bobby make is seem as though we should really EXPECT a guy like Jones to dominate in the post season against the elite of the elite, but then at the same time sells players like Ilyasova, and Derrick Williams as "the answer" and upgrade at that spot of Jones. Completely ludicrous. The fact is there is a reason why those guys are max contract elite superstars. NOBODY can guard them.
I absolutely don't "expect" Jones to do anything, this isn't merely a reaction to him being worthless in the playoffs again. Look at his skill set, not just his "production", almost all of his points are created by someone else and they are usually really easy buckets like open dunks or layups. Your replacement level athletic tweener scores in those scenarios as well so where is the drop-off if you let Jones go? What is one skill that Jones has that you think is so difficult to replace?
His rs production was as good as dmos. If you think dmo can do better against Blake and DeAndre, you didn't watch him attempt to play center
Again, look at skill set instead of production. I'm not impressed by him converting open dunks or layups, your replacement level player scores most if not all of those buckets given the opportunity. As to DMo doing better against Blake than Jones, well, Jones is literally the worst defensive frontcourt rotation player in the 2nd round of the playoffs going by his opponent FG% allowed at the rim. DMo easily does better than that....in fact, Harden's FG% at the rim is better than Jones'. Obviously Blake's lateral quickness would bother DMo, but his defensive positioning and size are so much better than Jones' that it would lead to better results.
His one skill? You are setting up a straw man argument that I can see coming a million miles away. I will tell you want isn't difficult to replace though. Go find me 10 PF's in the NBA that fall under these qualifications- Making under 2.5 mil per next year (or assumed to be under if FA) Under 24 years old PER over 18 double digit PPG +6 RPG over 50% FG % +2 Blocks pg Less than 1 turnover per game With full bird rights Two years of starter experience Terrence Jones' skill isn't one thing. Its all of that as a combination of factors. He's not a superstar like Griffin because he's not supposed to be. He is your ideal replacement player IF YOU DON'T HAVE A GRIFFIN.
people still don't get it its a TEAM offense flow in playoffs, plug him in with anyone who can stretch the defense out we beat Portland and don't look as bad this year
No, I'm not setting up a straw man, feel free to list several skills that you think are hard to replace if you think he has them, I just didn't want to ask too much of you so I wanted to see if you could even come up with one. So far all you've done is double down on "production" which leads me to believe that you can't come up with any hard to replace skills that Jones has.
So I guess you have another BBHollic/Jopat trait of not reading what anyone writes and just arguing against the wind. Jones' skill is that he is the ideal "Replacement Player" already IF YOU DON'T HAVE A SUPERSTAR. He fits the bill for EXACTLY what you would be looking for in the case that you strike out on hitting a home run. Sure you could always hope for more, but its blatantly obvious that unicorns don't come around every day for free. He gives you a little of everything at a bargain rate for another year (and maybe beyond if resigned at a reasonable rate). If you don't have a superstar at a certain position, then you need guys like Jones who can allow you to upgrade positions that ARE ACTUALLY POSSIBLE to upgrade. If you see an upgrade at a lower or similar cost, that can provide everything I just listed then please.... tell me. You want to back me in a corner with a straw man argument, then you go first. Back yourself into a corner argument.
Luckily in the 15-20 range there are a few pfs that in my humble opinion can replace Jones. I am not a scout or a coach or anything related to bball professionally. Just my opinion. There also a few good shooters in that range. Yup. Something will happen in Chicago. It will be either Taj or Noah that are traded. Now with Thibs likely gone I think the FO will prefer to trade Noah because he is 30 and because he has knee on knee that has massacred his little athleticm to the point that he is useless in offence. I think Dunleay is a UFA? The Bulls won't pay the luxury tax so something will happen. All their frontcourt is old except for Mirotic. I honestly have no expectation of Jones to be able to counter Griffin or Aldridge or ZBO. I think that is insane. These are the best PFs in the league. Unless you have a star yourself at that position good luck . What I don't like about Jones personally is his lack of improvement which to me is a huge alarm bell. His lack of acquired skills in the three years in the league. In my opinion, that doesn't bode well for Jones because he relies only in athleticism and if he doesn't learn something more he won't age well. What is Jone's work ethic? What goes on above the neck? We will have to see what happens, but I don't like the chances of Jones +18 being enough to get Lawson. I admire Morrey and he certainly knows a ton more of basketball than I do but I disagree that you can't find a replacement at that range. What you will be hard pressed to find at that range is a star, a good pg, and a center. Shooters and athletic PFs are there. But I'm a fan and he's the GM.
What a poster thinks a good skill set is is irrelevant. All that matters is production and impact. All our PFs were similar and we should be looking to upgrade.
No, I'm reading everything you are saying, the problem is that you've just used 178 words to yet again dodge a direct question because you know you don't have an answer. Before that you used 130 words to dodge the same question. I think at this point it's safe to assume that you can't name even a single basketball skill that Jones has that is difficult to replace. You should have just come out and said that immediately instead of the 308 words you used to dodge the question.
Good job of purposefully ignoring the point in order to try and back me into a corner for the sake of your ridiculous argument.... which you have yet to create because I haven't given you the material yet. Another Clutchfans piece of work. Have a good one. Go Rockets.
It is irrelevant in the sense we are only fans have no real saying in the Front office dealings and certainly don't know as much as those (or most) of the guys making decisions. But esp for these guys making the decisions skills matter. And not all the PFs the Rockets have are the same. I don't get the Jones DMO war I find it pathetic and ludicrous and have no intention to get involved.
LOL oh wow, you think someone is "backing you into a corner" by asking what skills a player has that would be difficult to replace and not letting you skirt the issue? If you REALLY thought that Jones would be difficult to replace, you'd have an answer, hell you'd probably list several skills that you think would be difficult to replace. Ask someone what skills Harden or Howard have that are difficult to replace and you'd get tons of easy answers. Ask that about Jones and it's "backing you into a corner"......C'mon man, you've gotta be better than that.
