![]() Jones has already placed himself in the latter category. Great defenders react instantaneously to their opponents’ moves, but the best defenders get a step ahead by proactively dictating the terms of engagement. Now, going into his second NBA season, Jones has evolved from an intriguing young player on a scrappy play-in team to a key member of a group that expects to make real noise in the postseason, and his two-way growth will heavily influence how good the Pelicans can be this year. New Orleans allowed four fewer points per 100 possessions (and was nearly 10 points per 100 better overall) with Jones on the court, and by the end of the season depended on him heavily to anchor its otherwise shaky wing defense. The Pelicans were far from an elite defense last year, ranking 18th in points allowed per possession and 26th in halfcourt defense, but Jones was the driving force behind what moderate success they did have. Not since Kawhi Leonard has a player been this impactful this early as a perimeter defender, and save for Scottie Barnes and Evan Mobley, there wasn’t a rookie in the NBA who contributed more to his team’s on-court success last season than Jones. This reality makes Herb Jones’ rookie season all the more impressive. As modern offenses create more space on the floor and use an increasingly wide range of set plays, it’s arguably more difficult than ever for young players to adjust to the speed, timing and complexity of NBA basketball. It’s generally a safe assumption that first-year NBA players will struggle on defense. And the versatile forward is just getting started. As a rookie, Herb Jones was already one of the most impactful defenders in the NBA. ![]()
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