From the moment they started playing together, there was something about Herb Jones that drove Trey Murphy crazy.
Murphy, the New Orleans Pelicans’ No. 17 overall pick in 2021, could immediately tell Jones, his rookie classmate drafted 18 spots later, would become a transcendent perimeter stopper. He marveled at the defensive magic that would soon spawn the “NOT ON GRASS” slogan.
But Murphy, who has established himself as one of the best shooters in his draft class, was just as passionate about something his new teammate wasn’t – and didn’t hesitate to let him know it.
“He was wide open, but he wasn’t shooting the ball,” Murphy recalled.
Jones, selfless by nature, had gotten this far even without being a great 3-point shooter during his high school or college years. He made a total of 34 3-pointers in four seasons at Alabama, including just one in his entire junior season. He didn’t need consistent 3-point shooting to become the SEC Player of the Year or a permanent fixture in the Pelicans’ starting lineup.
Yet even as Jones established himself as a shot-stopper, he saw his opponents leave him all alone at the other end of the pitch, demonstrating a level of “disrespect” he had never experienced in his career. .
“I’ve never played against someone who just didn’t want to protect me,” Jones said. Athleticism. “There was no one to point the finger at but myself. I just had to go out there and work on my weaknesses.
That’s precisely what Jones has done ever since. In the quiet of empty gymnasiums, out of the cameras’ field of view, Jones, with the help of Pelicans Assistant coach and shooting guru Fred Vinson, has spent countless hours over the past three years working on his jumper and building his confidence on the perimeter. The results didn’t come in initially — Jones shot just 34 percent from 3 as a rookie, then dropped to 33 percent during a difficult second campaign this encouraged more teams to ignore him on the perimeter. But Jones didn’t get depressed. He has just returned to the place where he has always found comfort: the training gym.
“I always say work never lies,” Jones said. “I knew it was going to be a process. I knew it wouldn’t happen overnight. I wasn’t really affected by the immediate results. I knew that if I kept working, I would find something.
Now in his third NBA season, Jones is seeing the fruits of his labor. He is 42.9 percent from 3 this season. Since Jan. 1, he’s made 53.6 percent of his 3s, the best mark among players with at least 75 attempts over that span. If he maintains his current pace, Jones should join Jrue Vacations and DeMarcus Cousins as the only players in Pelicans history with at least 100 3-pointers, 75 steals and 50 blocks in the same season.
Jones is already one of the best defenders in the league. You just have to ask Indiana Star Tyrese Haliburton, who went scoreless in 22 minutes with Jones wrapping him up in the Pelicans’ 129-102 victory Friday. Now that Jones has evolved from a non-threat who acted like one to one of the most accurate spot-up shooters in the game, he’s becoming one of the premier two-way players in the league. And he’s doing it in the first season of a four-year, $54 million contract that will ultimately pay him less than the mid-level exception, with the salary cap likely increasing significantly after the start of a new agreement with national television in 2025.
“This guy is above all a worker. No one can ever question his commitment to the game,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “It’s not a shock to us to see him improve as much as he has this season because he did what he needed to do to get these results.”
This level of commitment was nothing new to Jones. He always considered the training room his sanctuary. to calm your mind and sharpen your skills. But to get to the next level, he knew he needed to make some changes to his shooting motion.
Over the past three seasons, Jones and Vinson have spent countless hours together at the Pelicans facility trying to figure out those details. They also regularly met at the Smoothie King Center the day before home games, getting extra shots so Jones would get a better feel for the arena.
Vinson spent 15 years refining players’ jumpers in New Orleans, with Brandon Ingram And Lonzo ball among his most remarkable students. Vinson stressed to Jones the need to have a more consistent base when setting up the shot, ensuring that Jones would not lean forward or backward while allowing the ball to pass. He moved Jones’ release point above the head instead of pushing forward from the chest. Vinson also taught Jones to keep the ball on the left side of his body when shooting instead of bringing it to the right side, which Vinson also did to help Ball eliminate the problem from his shooting.
As Jones has become more comfortable with his shooting movements, his confidence on the court has skyrocketed. He abandoned his usually calm demeanor on the field more often to bark at the crowd after marks. When teams leave him open, he is quick to let defenders know that his days as the weak link in the offense are over.
“I love it when he starts talking a little. It’s getting us all hyped,” Ingram said Athleticism. “He gives us all confidence when he feels it because we know he’s going to do it on both ends. That intensity he brings is good for us as a team.
The rest of Jones’ diverse offensive game has, in turn, come out of its shell. He poses a formidable threat in transition, utilizing his long strides, patented Euro step and strong finishing ability at the rim with both hands. Even when he’s not shooting his shot, he’s capable of grabbing a defensive rebound at any time, running the length of the court, and creating a bucket for himself or others. According to Synergy Sports, Jones leads the Pelicans with 216 points in transition this season, well ahead of second place. Zion Williamson (167).
Beyond his shooting, Jones also continues to use his intelligence and passing to add value in the half court. When teams try to put lesser defenders on Jones, the Pelicans often use him as a screen for Williamson or Ingram to force a turnover. The Pacers tried to hide Haliburton on Jones early in Friday’s game, even using their star to trap the ball so he wouldn’t have to pass to one of the Pelicans’ top scorers. But that just gave Jones the space to pick apart Indiana as a short roller at the free throw line, as he did here to create a dunk for Williamson on the game’s first possession.
Green even allowed Jones to orchestrate with the ball at times when the Pelicans’ offense was stagnant. In those moments, Jones became more comfortable in pick-and-roll situations and making correct reads.
“We put it everywhere,” Green said. “He handles the ball. He installs screens. Teams try to put their so-called worst defender on him, and we put him in action so they can’t hide guys. Wherever we put him on the ground, he picks it up quickly. It’s great to see Herb play with that type of confidence.
As the Pelicans attempt to secure a guaranteed spot in the top six of the Western Conference playoffs, it should come as no surprise that Jones’ game has picked up as the intensity of playoff basketball is moved to the foreground. Since Jan. 1, the Pels have outscored opponents by 187 points with Jones on the court, the 15th-best solo mark in the league. Nine of the 14 players above him made the All-Star team this season. Three others (James Harden, Brook Lopez And Jarrett Allen) were All-Stars in the past.
Jones’ defense, especially against the game’s elite perimeter scorers, was already crucial to the Pelicans’ ability to compete in the playoffs. As long as they employ high-octane personalities like Williamson, Ingram and CJ McCollum To run the offense, the Pelicans will need Jones’ defensive mentality. But it’s his thriving offensive game, boosted by all the work he’s put into improving his jumper, that makes Jones the type of 3-and-D player every great team needs to balance their roster. .
“When Herb plays with that confidence, it’s big for our team,” Ingram said. “We have a lot of talent on the field. When he shows all the different parts of his game. It kind of brings it all together for us.
His improvement makes the contract he signed last summer an even more important asset as the Pelicans chart a long-term future that already features significant financial commitments to Williamson, Ingram and McCollum. Jones could have waited until next summer to enter free agency in hopes of cashing in, but he chose the security of that four-year deal last summer to commit to finishing what he started in New Orleans.
Because of this, the Pelicans will pay him significantly less each year ($13 million next season) than his defensive-minded contemporaries like DenverIt is Aaron Gordon ($22.8 million), that of Minnesota Jaden McDaniels ($22.5 million), that of Houston Dillon Brooks ($22.2 million), Memphis’ Smart Marcus ($19.9 million), Oklahoma CityLu Dort ($16.5 million) and others. Not having to pay Jones more than $20 million per year gives the Pels more flexibility to build out the rest of the roster and retain other key pieces like Murphy and perhaps Jose Alvarado once it’s time for them to get paid.
The only question that remains is how much room for growth Jones has left. After all, even the biggest Herb Jones optimists on the planet, like Murphy, couldn’t have imagined that he would become a 43 percent 3-point shooter by his third season as a professional.
One thing is certain when it comes to Jones: his desire to continue improving isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
(Top photo: Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
