Free Agent Derrick Jones to Portland

So to be clear: You were in the anti-Harkless/Aminu camp and like these signings?

 

No they have not.

I was not operating under the assumption the goal of the 2nd unit was to fast break, but to have at least one creator/playmaker. I worry about putting out a unit than can only score in transition because it requires a lot of defense stops to even have a chance.

 

Having 2 all-stars over 6-7 vs zero is a decent start.

 

actually english is not my first language so sometimes i just post a tweet of an opinion that I share.

 

Seems like a bunch of vets except Mario. I don’t expect a vet to all of a sudden significantly improve in an area. There is at least hope for a 23 year old. But again that’s not why he’s here.

 

Dude can guard four positions and is coming to a team that was absolute dog doo doo on defense as a team.
His three point percentage will improve in Portland but do we really need it to?
I'll take his defense and 8 and 4 all day.

 

I like Covington. I'm ambivalent about DJJ. There are other players I would have rather had, but after seeing the other contracts handed out, aren't realistic.

And no I don't think our team is markedly better than the one that made the WCF. It's more working around the margins, which is what Neil does. As long as CJ is the second highest-paid player on the team I just don't expect much.

And no, I don't think we are true contenders. Maybe if everything goes right for us and some other teams have a few injuries.

 

Best 3-point line defenders in 19-20 (with opp. 3PT%) 1. Avery Bradley ... 25.7% 2. Kawhi Leonard ... 26.4% 3. Maxi Kleber ... 26.8% 4. Derrick Jones Jr. ... 27.2% 5. D.J. Augustin ... 28.2% Min 40 games played, 3 threes contested per game (172 qualifiers)

 

Has been a weakness running guys off the 3 point line.

 

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

 

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)

 

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?

 

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

 

Gerald Wallace?

 

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.

 

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.