Zombie Derrick Jones to Portland

[UKRAINEFAN]

Here is grading from Bleacher Report: A-

1. 
   The Blazers have been short on wing and frontcourt defense since the Al-Farouq Aminu-Moe Harkless tandem disbanded following the 2018-19 season. Now, after swinging a deal for Robert Covington and inking Derrick Jones Jr. to a two-year, $19 million agreement, as first reported by The Athletic's Shams Charania, the Blazers have improved significantly on the original model.
   
   Jones keyed the Miami Heat's highly effective zone defense last season, leveraging his length, quickness and supreme athleticism at the point of attack. He was a disruptive force regardless of how the Heat deployed him, which his block and steal numbers reflect. The 6'6" forward ranked in the 87th percentile in steal rate last season, and lest we undersell his bounce, he's been in or above the 91st percentile in block rate at his position in all four years of his career.
   
   It's rare for an impactful 23-year-old to hit unrestricted free agency, and you would have thought Jones was in line for much more than a two-year deal at the MLE. Even with a player option on the second year, as The Athletic's David Aldridge reported, this is a steal of a signing for Portland.
   
   Jones is going to run amok in transition, and he and Covington are on the short list of the most intimidating defensive forward combos in the league.
   
   (They also gave an A to Nuggets for signing JaMychal Green and said he can guard 4's and 5's)

 

[blazedanugz]

I like DJJ. He's like what we want Little to become.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

 

[TBpup]

What is this 'cutting' concept I see reference several times in the last few pages? In sounds like a good idea, just don't remember seeing anything that would fit in that category when watching this team.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

What is this 'cutting' concept I see reference several times in the last few pages? In sounds like a good idea, just don't remember seeing anything that would fit in that category when watching this team.

It's simple:
Instead of running to the 3 point line and holding your hands out, you head to the basket instead.
No, no, no, not to get a rebound, but to get the ball passed to you for the purpose of making a basket.
Yes, 2 points IS less than 3 points, but you're trying to get a higher percentage shot, and get your opponents in foul trouble.

Think Stotts will get it?

 

[riverman]

What is this 'cutting' concept I see reference several times in the last few pages? In sounds like a good idea, just don't remember seeing anything that would fit in that category when watching this team.

Gerald Henderson was the last Blazer who had a style of game like that...and he wasn't a sharp shooter either

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Gerald Henderson was the last Blazer who had a style of game like that...and he wasn't a sharp shooter either

Gerald Wallace?

 

[TBpup]

Gerald Henderson
Gerald Wallace
....so nothing recent outside of Layman and for some reason, the Blazers just stopped taking advantage of that. He was still cutting or going backdoor but it was almost suddenly, that he stopped getting the ball. And it wasn't just CJ ignoring him like usual...

 

[Sheldon Shape]

Gerald Henderson
Gerald Wallace
....so nothing recent outside of Layman and for some reason, the Blazers just stopped taking advantage of that. He was still cutting or going backdoor but it was almost suddenly, that he stopped getting the ball. And it wasn't just CJ ignoring him like usual...

We are anemic at getting easy buckets.

 

[JDC]

What is this 'cutting' concept I see reference several times in the last few pages? In sounds like a good idea, just don't remember seeing anything that would fit in that category when watching this team.

Top 6 18-19 Non-Big Cutters (By Frequency)
1) Shaun Livingston
2) Derrick Jones
3) Kyle Anderson
4) Michael Kidd Gilchrist
5) Maurice Harkless
6) Jake Layman

We should run more, but in the half court I think Terry has done a fine job utilizing athletic finishers when he's had them.

We run a lot of split cut action out the high post with Nurk and at the top of the key in our delay sets. Our guys could do a better recognizing the open "45" cut--diagonal cut from weakside wing when teams help on drives towards the baseline--but Jake and Moe got better at that as the season went along and we saw from Nas too when he got time.

Had success with him cutting from the corner or dunker spot as well.

 

[riverman]

Gerald Wallace?

Crash predates Gerald Henderson but he was the guy before him...

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Now THIS guy is known for his defense:

 

[blazerkor]

I don't feel like they had any superstars and we have one, Lillard. I was certainly not rating CJ a superstar. I don't rate Butler a superstar, he is one helluva player but can't carry a team.

Fair enough... I thought for sure you were saying Butler was and therefore it would have to mean that CJ was as well. This makes much more sense.

 

[kjironman1]

People used those two to justify expecting guys like Evam Turner, Mario Hezonja, and Kent Bazemore to have shooting increases. We shouldn't just expect players to improve 8% IMO. He got great looks in Miami too.

My difference on this and i do agree with you that you absolutely cannot expect him to shoot better because he is in Portland but none of those players were anywhere near as dynamic around the rim.
You are correct. No way we can expect a player to increase 8% on threes. But i disagree Aminu got anything like the same looks. Absolutely no way he got the same looks in Orlando. There is absolutely no way DJJ got the looks Aminu got here in Miami either. Dame draws a double every time and CJ must be covered Aminu was WIDE open over and over again. It was comical how open he was. Teams begged him to shoot. They sagged so far off him they clogged passing lanes and when the ball was in his hands he only had two options. Shoot the three or try to drive. As soon as he put the ball on the floor "Turnover". With Aminu on the court teams had essentially a 5 on 4 advantage on the Blazers unless Aminu was making shots. When Aminu made 35% the Blazers won.
DJJ will not be left open like Aminu. If he is he will drive and throw it down on them. If they collapse he will dish to Nurk or Covington. If they pull off Dame we all know what will happen there. Same with CJ.
You simply cannot compare DJJ to Aminu or ET or even Bazemore for that matter.
I'm gonna hold my expectations and see how the kid and Stotts work. But i'm willing to go the wait and see route.

 

[kjironman1]

Two observations:
1. Derrick Jones played 24 mpg for the Heat in the regular season... but only 8 in the playoffs. When the Heat wanted to up their game, they sat him (like Kendrick Nunn - who actually played almost double Jones' minutes in the playoffs)
2. The Nuggets just signed Green, who plays a position of greater need for us, for less:

Playoffs were not a good look for Jones. First the neck injury and concussion protocol then the ankle injury. He was never 100%.

 

[BonesJones]

My difference on this and i do agree with you that you absolutely cannot expect him to shoot better because he is in Portland but none of those players were anywhere near as dynamic around the rim.
You are correct. No way we can expect a player to increase 8% on threes. But i disagree Aminu got anything like the same looks. Absolutely no way he got the same looks in Orlando. There is absolutely no way DJJ got the looks Aminu got here in Miami either. Dame draws a double every time and CJ must be covered Aminu was WIDE open over and over again. It was comical how open he was. Teams begged him to shoot. They sagged so far off him they clogged passing lanes and when the ball was in his hands he only had two options. Shoot the three or try to drive. As soon as he put the ball on the floor "Turnover". With Aminu on the court teams had essentially a 5 on 4 advantage on the Blazers unless Aminu was making shots. When Aminu made 35% the Blazers won.
DJJ will not be left open like Aminu. If he is he will drive and throw it down on them. If they collapse he will dish to Nurk or Covington. If they pull off Dame we all know what will happen there. Same with CJ.
You simply cannot compare DJJ to Aminu or ET or even Bazemore for that matter.
I'm gonna hold my expectations and see how the kid and Stotts work. But i'm willing to go the wait and see route.

I mean, I'll give him a chance. Just have a feeling that if he gets stuck on the corner as a spot-up shooter people that like this signing will blame Olshey for getting a guy that cant shoot instead of Stotts for putting him in the corner.

Also I was talking about DJJ when I said he got great 3pt looks in Miami.

 

[kjironman1]

I mean, I'll give him a chance. Just have a helping that if he gets stuck on the corner as a spot-up shooter people that like this signing will blame Olshey for getting a guy that cant shoot instead of Stotts for putting him in the corner.

Also I was talking about DJJ when I said he got great 3pt looks in Miami.

Well i guess we got no choice but to give him a chance. Glad to have him and yep we can hope for the best. I agree also. Olshey will look bad but Stotts will look even worse if he plays this guy and makes him sit in the corner and wait.
There are so many things he could do different and my personal hope is he builds a second team that is a run and gun fast break nightmare with a couple of the young guns he has available now. You know a sparkplug complete change of pace when the team is struggling or playing listless. It happens to all clubs but deep teams have a way out of it.
IMO and yes this is just an opinion. If Stotts cannot make this team work now with the diversity and talent he has he should be held accountable. Of course assuming they don't have a huge injury or string of them again. No i won't say his name and injury in the same sentence. But even with a couple injuries they have depth this year.

 

[Ed O]

I mean, I'll give him a chance. Just have a helping that if he gets stuck on the corner as a spot-up shooter people that like this signing will blame Olshey for getting a guy that cant shoot instead of Stotts for putting him in the corner.

Can we blame Stotts for being dumb and not changing with the strengths and weaknesses of his players if he does that?

 

[kjironman1]

Can we blame Stotts for being dumb and not changing with the strengths and weaknesses of his players if he does that?

NOPE! No one is allowed to blame Stotts. You know this?

Did i need to use green here?

 

[MickZagger]

He’s a poor mans Josh Smith.

Let’s hope he can develop a jumper. His perimeter defense is top notch.

 

[BonesJones]

Well i guess we got no choice but to give him a chance. Glad to have him and yep we can hope for the best. I agree also. Olshey will look bad but Stotts will look even worse if he plays this guy and makes him sit in the corner and wait.
There are so many things he could do different and my personal hope is he builds a second team that is a run and gun fast break nightmare with a couple of the young guns he has available now. You know a sparkplug complete change of pace when the team is struggling or playing listless. It happens to all clubs but deep teams have a way out of it.
IMO and yes this is just an opinion. If Stotts cannot make this team work now with the diversity and talent he has he should be held accountable. Of course assuming they don't have a huge injury or string of them again. No i won't say his name and injury in the same sentence. But even with a couple injuries they have depth this year.

Kinda hard to build a run and gun team with Collins/Melo and Kanter. If C.J. is running the bench unit (which he should, not enough minutes to go around otherwise) then Stotts will really have to implore him to change. Trent isn't much of a ball-handler either. DJJ is really the only guy built to run on that second unit, so I feel like it's unlikely, although I hope that Trent can add to his ball-handling ability and C.J. might be willing to push more with that group.

 

[BonesJones]

Can we blame Stotts for being dumb and not changing with the strengths and weaknesses of his players if he does that?

100%. Based on the past, I'm not expecting much of that.

 

[James lamphear]

Kinda hard to build a run and gun team with Collins/Melo and Kanter. If C.J. is running the bench unit (which he should, not enough minutes to go around otherwise) then Stotts will really have to implore him to change. Trent isn't much of a ball-handler either. DJJ is really the only guy built to run on that second unit, so I feel like it's unlikely, although I hope that Trent can add to his ball-handling ability and C.J. might be willing to push more with that group.

You can run with about anyone if can control the boards and your guards don't come back to get ball from the rebounder like they use to do. Kanter and Zach actually can run and so can Trent. In the preseason games there going try use Simons as the 2nd unit PG to see if can handle it and if he can that unit can definitely can run. Plus it takes might mind sense that what there going to do.

 

[kjironman1]

You can run with about anyone if can control the boards and your guards don't come back to get ball from the rebounder like they use to do. Kanter and Zach actually can run and so can Trent. In the preseason games there going try use Simons as the 2nd unit PG to see if can handle it and if he can that unit can definitely can run. Plus it takes might mind sense that what there going to do.

That's what i see also. Kanter cleans the glass pretty well and Zach has never been afraid of running. Simons and Jones both run really well and Trent can always follow up and wait for the kick out to a three if need be but has been the one player looking to run.
Trent is a good defender and gets his hands on passes. DJJ does as well. Tipped balls and long rebounds turn into highlight reel dunks with either Jones or Simons. Zack brings blocks and energy Kanter is a good passing big and he runs the floor as well as most any big out there. Covington doesn't have a problem running and Dame can run but usually drops back for a three. Nurk passes out of rebounds pretty well.

The main point is defense creates offensive opportunity and fast breaks. Trent, DJJ, Covington and Zack bring defense. The running game will go up a notch.

 

[kjironman1]

Kinda hard to build a run and gun team with Collins/Melo and Kanter. If C.J. is running the bench unit (which he should, not enough minutes to go around otherwise) then Stotts will really have to implore him to change. Trent isn't much of a ball-handler either. DJJ is really the only guy built to run on that second unit, so I feel like it's unlikely, although I hope that Trent can add to his ball-handling ability and C.J. might be willing to push more with that group.

Kanter rebounds. Nurk passes well. You forgot about Covington.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

 

[Labinot41]

Is that Neil on the Phone? Haha

 

[calvin natt]

You can run with about anyone if can control the boards and your guards don't come back to get ball from the rebounder like they use to do. Kanter and Zach actually can run and so can Trent. In the preseason games there going try use Simons as the 2nd unit PG to see if can handle it and if he can that unit can definitely can run. Plus it takes might mind sense that what there going to do.

“Running” teams in basketball have little to do with the actual running/speed etc. You have to 1) rebound 2) move the ball up court 3) have spacing. If you mentality is to run, you can do it. Of course it’d be nice if everyone ran like John Wall but pass the ball and speed doesn’t matter

 

[Buffalo Custard]

"Pressure is on Stotts." Bingo. It isn't that Jones is a bad player - it's that Stotts is NOT flexible and Jones is NOT his prefered type of player. What are the odds Stotts actually puts him in a position to succeed?

 

[calvin natt]

"Pressure is on Stotts." Bingo. It isn't that Jones is a bad player - it's that Stotts is NOT flexible and Jones is NOT his prefered type of player. What are the odds Stotts actually puts him in a position to succeed?

I really think Neils decision to shake things up and take some risks put pressure on Stotts, not just because he has more talent, but Neils butt is on the line with all these decisions. Neil isn’t going to sit and watch DJJ or whoever else misused or benched. Not going to happen. This might be the season that makes a lot of fans happy one way or the other.