A few weeks ago, the New Orleans Pelicans were rumored to be aggressive this summer in order to upgrade their roster in hopes of contending in the Western Conference for the foreseeable future.
First, the Pelicans seemed intent on trading up in the 2023 NBA Draft, as they became enamored with Scoot Henderson, who ultimately went No. 3 overall to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Then superstar forward Zion Williamson got himself in a mess off the court, leading to speculation about his future with the team and if New Orleans would consider trading him.
Ultimately, nothing happened for the Pelicans, but the team didn’t waste any time once NBA free agency got underway on Friday evening, with the team prioritizing their current roster by signing Herb Jones to a four-year deal worth $54 million, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
ESPN Reporting with @_andrew_lopez: Free agent F Herb Jones has agreed on a new four-year, $54M deal to stay with the New Orleans Pelicans, his agents Mark Bartelstein and Kieran Piller of @PrioritySports tell ESPN. Jones declined his option to sign a long-term deal with Pels. pic.twitter.com/7r0r212hWZ
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2023
Although there are issues with Williamson that have to be resolved on top of the fact that he rarely plays due to persistent injuries, the Pelicans have a solid squad filled with talented young players, including Jones, who is arguably the team’s best defender.
Jones won’t blow anyone away with his stats, as he doesn’t exactly fill up the stat sheet on a nightly basis, but he does everything else that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet, making him invaluable to the Pelicans.
He’s only two years into his career in the NBA, but he’s already cemented himself as one of the league’s best defenders and will continue to improve in the years to come in New Orleans.
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