2020 Free Agency Thread

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.677 on 2 pt shots last year so I guess he is a good dunker, but not for the full MLE.
 
If you project RoCo as an PF and if Neil sees Jones as someone who can win the starting spot at SF, you have a helluva depth chart with the BAE still available.

PG: Dame, CJ
SG: CJ, Gary, Ant
SF: Jones, Hoodie, Nas
PF: RoCo, Zach, hopefully a re-signed Wenyen
C: Nurk, Kanter
 
Well, Miami played him 23 minutes a game; and they are a smart organization, but they really play a different style than us. Here is a writeup on him after his first year with Miami:
Derrick Jones Jr. had a huge summer with the Miami Heat, earning himself a new contract (a call-up from his two-way deal) and playing extremely well in Summer League. How well did this translate to his NBA season with the Heat?
Derrick Jones Jr. had by far his strongest season in the NBA so far for the Miami Heat. While next season will mark Jones’ fourth, the forward will still only be 22 years old.

Jones finished the season averaging seven points per game, to go along with four rebounds and only .7 turnovers per game. He also showed glimpses of a 3-point stroke in his arsenal, as he shot nearly 31 percent from deep, which he was not capable of before.

He played a mere 19.2 minutes per game this season, a slight bump up from his 15.1 minutes per game last season, when he was on a two-way contract with the Miami Heat. Because of this, his per-36 numbers tell a better story. By that measurement, Jones averaged 13.2 points, 7.5 rebounds (with three offensive boards per game), 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks per game.

Widely known for his electric dunks, Jones was originally invited to participate in the NBA slam dunk contest of All-Star Weekend for the second time in his career, but was unfortunately sidelined due to injury. Jones was replaced by Hamidou Diallo of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who went on to win the contest.

However, dunks are not the only thing the forward is capable of, as he played strong defense for the entire season, though with a few slip ups here and there. Jones had the third highest defensive rating on the Heat for players earning consistent minutes. The young forward was also tied for the third highest net rating on the team, tied with Kelly Olynyk, and behind Hassan Whiteside and Bam Adebayo.

Remarkably, despite being a three-year NBA veteran, Jones is the second-youngest player on the team at 22 years old. This makes him younger than all three Heat rookies last season, Yante Maten, Kendrick Nunn and Duncan Robinson. He is also just slightly older than Bam Adebayo, who came into the league a whole year after Jones. This also makes him younger than NBA draft prospects for this season, like Brandon Clarke.

With his youth comes a few discrepancies in his game, most notably his decision-making and free-throw shooting. His defense can be extremely stellar, but it often gets Jones into foul trouble. For his career, Jones averages 3.9 fouls per 36 minutes per game.

Jones mostly played the four spot for a team that was without James Johnson to begin the season, and even started the first few games for the squad, ending with 14 total starts.

While his future is likely at the wing position, Jones showed that he can also play big when called upon, making his skillset useful for the Heat’s current players. Jones snuck himself into the young core of the Heat this season, and showed that he could be a valuable role player on a contender.

As for his athleticism, he ought to look no further than NBA champion Pascal Siakam. While Bam Adebayo plays more like Siakam than does Jones, Jones could stand to gain a few pounds of muscle before the season in order to bully opponents in the paint similarly to Siakam.

The athletic forward has even gotten invitation from former NBA champion Kenny “The Jet” Smith, who told Jones that he would train him to become the best player in the NBA. While this is a long ways to go for Jones, he can certainly tap into his seemingly unlimited potential heading into his first secure summer in his career.

His growth will be one to watch for Miami Heat fans, as he may end up being younger than some of the rookies the Heat can end up with in the offseason.

NEXT: Appraising the trade value of the Heat roster
Overall, Jones’ decision-making led to both inefficiencies on both offense and defense that would mark him as average, but the overall strength, athleticism and overall jaw-dropping electric plays make Jones no worse than a B on either defense or offense. I would give Jones a B+ on defense and a B- on offense, which evens out to a B overall.



Final Grade- B
 
I don't understand this move. Why not let Nassir do the same job at his low salary on a guy who can't shoot?

I don't like this. I'm hoping I'm wrong.
 
For the past few offseasons I've been pining for a sharpshooting wing or two to spread the court. While I loved the Covington add and think he's the best 3 they've had since Batum, he's hot and cold as a perimeter threat. The other moves leave me wondering why, but then Neil rarely gives me what I want. Oh well, if they're done with their shuffle I think they're a bit better then they were last season.

STOMP
 
STOMP said:
For the past few offseasons I've been pining for a sharpshooting wing or two to spread the court. While I loved the Covington add and think he's the best 3 they've had since Batum, he's hot and cold as a perimeter threat. The other moves leave me wondering why, but then Neil rarely gives me what I want. Oh well, if they're done with their shuffle I think they're a bit better then they were last season.

STOMP
Click to expand...

What if Covington is going to start at 4 and Hood is going to start at 3?
 
HolyBackboard said:
THANK YOU.

Another classic Olshey blunder. Just when you think he's turned the corner, he goes out and pulls this nonsense. We would have been better suited playing Nas backup 3 minutes than overpaying for a 28% 3-pt shooter.
Click to expand...
We'll see, his shot looks really nice. Watch some video on this guy. I'm no Olshey apologist but you guys are jumping to some serious conclusions about this move. The guy is incredibly athletic, he is crazy long with a 7 foot wingspan, he plays with intensity at all times, great on defense and his shot is not ugly... oh and he's 23.
 
blazerkor said:
We'll see, his shot looks really nice. Watch some video on this guy. I'm no Olshey apologist but you guys are jumping to some serious conclusions about this move. The guy is incredibly athletic, he is crazy long with a 7 foot wingspan, he plays with intensity at all times, great on defense and his shot is not ugly... oh and he's 23.
Click to expand...
For the BAE? Fine. Let's roll the dice.

As other have said in this thread, the MLE was our ONE shot to really acquire talent after using Ariza's contract and we completely missed the mark.
 
B-Roy said:
Yes. 100/100 times.
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I actually watched the finals (something I rarely do). I don’t recall him at all (two friends and I were all just saying the same).

Seems early to settle for a player of this caliber.
 
I don't think Stotts will play a guy who shoots .30 from three. So why sign him for $9 million a year?
 
HolyBackboard said:
For the BAE? Fine. Let's roll the dice.

As other have said in this thread, the MLE was our ONE shot to really acquire talent after using Ariza's contract and we completely missed the mark.
Click to expand...
That's a take that has no proof behind it. We'll see how much Jones can contribute. I like the guy, it may be a slight overpay but we don't know what the market was like for him. We also don't know if Millsap and Ibaka are even in play at the MLE, it sure would be a drastic pay cut for both even if they are getting old. Lets see how things shake out before we declare that we "missed the mark".
 
BLAZINGGIANTS said:
I actually watched the finals (something I rarely do). I don’t recall him at all (two friends and I were all just saying the same).

Seems early to settle for a player of this caliber.
Click to expand...
I don't remember him either; was he injured?
 
It seems like everyone forgets Trent started at 3 for us in the playoffs. Covington was brought here to be the 4. He hasn't played SF in the last 2 years. Collins and Nurk are not good together, you can't play 2 bigs at the same time unless one is named AD.

Dame
CJ
Trent
Covington
Nurk

Bench will be Simons, Hood at 3, Jones at 4, and either Kanter/Collins at 5 depending on health and matchups. Hopefully we add a PG with the BAE.

Little, Elleby, and others are still development guys.
 
He was taken off the court on a stretcher with a neck injury in the Pacers series. Maybe that was why he didn't see a lot of PT after that in the playoffs?
 
craigehlo said:
He was taken off the court on a stretcher with a neck injury in the Pacers series. Maybe that was why he didn't see a lot of PT after that in the playoffs?
Click to expand...

that’d certainly make sense. hopefully he bounces back better than a former blazer from recent history that left the court on a stretcher after a neck injury.
 
These guys were expecting him to get better with his natural talent. I thought they were wrong because his 3 pt % stayed even, but he did improve 100 points on 2 pt % which probably meant he got smarter and his ft % improved 160 points to a respectable .772, so maybe there is hope.
"Otherworldly as a leaper and dunker. Consistently plays high above the rim, helping him log impressive field goal percentages. Has an impressive 7-foot wingspan, aiding him in finishing over bigger opponents and blocking shots. Shows impressive potential as a defender. Also a lefty. Rail-thin and can get pushed around in the paint. Highly foul-prone, and must develop better timing on 'D' (while beefing up his lanky frame). Not yet a reliable shooter (either from the arc or from the charity stripe). Needs to keep working on his entire game and frame to get the most from his elite athletic ability.
Long Range Potential: High-flying, long wing prospect with intriguing potential."
 
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