After now-Wizards heart Jonas Valanciunas departed the Pelicans in free company, New Orleans uncared for to seek out his alternative in free agent.
Now, versatile ahead Herbert Jones is being eyed as Valanciunas’ alternative heading into the 2024/25 season, ESPN’s Shams Charania advised his colleagues on “The Pat McAfee Present” (YouTube video hyperlink).
“I’m advised Herb Jones is actually going to function the beginning heart for the Pelicans,” Charania stated. “You take a look at CJ McCollum, Dejounte Murray, Brandon Ingram, Herb Jones and Zion Williamson, lots of people are like, ‘Oh, Zion Williamson‘s enjoying the 5.’”
Nevertheless the crew opts to configure its meant frontcourt of Ingram, Jones and Williamson, New Orleans may have a variety of intriguing optionality on offense.
“[Head coach] Willie Inexperienced got here out the opposite day and stated, ‘He’s not the 5… We’re not speaking about fives, we’re speaking about [playing] position-less,’” Charania stated. “I do assume there’s some credence to that, however on the finish of the day somebody’s going to have to protect the opposite facilities, and it’s going to be Herb Jones a variety of the time.”
Jones, 26, was an All-Defensive First Teamer throughout his third season in 2023/24. The 6’7″ swingman was the lone participant to make the First Crew who was not a middle. It seems like if he earns the excellence once more this 12 months, that is probably not the case.
So far as the injury-prone Williamson’s upside this 12 months is worried, Charania asserts that the All-Star energy ahead seems wholesome and targeted this preseason.
“Everybody across the Pelicans believes he’s primed for an enormous season,” Charania stated. “In previous years, at this level in coaching camp or early within the season, there’s at all times been an damage… I feel now, he’s not enjoying himself into conditioning, he already is in nice form.”
