So Long, James Jones

[KilgoreTrout]

Welcome BACK, James Jones! We missed you when you were on Planet Brickalot!

 

[Otsego Mar]

The Cavaliers get their money's worth out of Jones. He has always been one of the best locker room guys in the league, and his jumpshot is pure. If you put him out there with the right combination of players who can penatrate into the teeth of the defense with a dribble drive, he gives a team a Steve Novak type presence. All that for the veterans minimum is pretty cool.

But when Waiters flopped as the dribble drive guy off the bench, the bench became redundant. Delly is going to keep the ball moving, but he shouldn't be initiating the pick and roll. Right now the only guys who initiate the pick and roll well are Kyrie and LBJ. That wasn't the original plan.

And the reason Jones has always relied on opponent's match ups for regular playing time is his porous defense and lack of physical presence in the paint.

But hey, veteran's minimum contract and he can help a playoff team out in the right situations. Can't complain.

I think we could (still) benefit from a veteran PG who can run the pick and roll and get to the rim and score (Earl Watson, Will Bynum, Nate Robinson, Jordan Farmar, Baron Davis, etc). The Cavs were apparently interested in E'Twaun Moore earlier - he looked good for Chicago tonight and hit a big shot down the stretch. I'm just not sold on counting on Delly in the playoffs.

As for James Jones - solid pick-up. I said before that he could take a nap on the bench all game and come in and make it rain when it counts.

 

[Adam]

One of the best things Jones has is chemistry and trust from lebron. LeBron drives and kicks to him with regularity when they are in the floor. I'm glad he's filling a role right now. As long as opposing teams don't post him up too much we should be fine to five him 10 to 15 mins regularly

 

[Birdy89]

James Jones deserves some love after today. He has really been playing well of late.

 

[Simmy]

I wake up from a deep sleep with James Jones!

Just for what it's worth, have been confident in JJ since day 1. Cast your mind back earlier in the season when Miller was getting all of his minutes - I understand that it was a feeling out process, but this guy is and always has been a big contributor. And he's really showing his worth as of late.

 

[Rick Astley]

He hustles and throws 3s like nothing. It's not too late for M2 to catch up!

 

[crabbyshark]

James Jones finding increased role and effectiveness

http://www.fearthesword.com/2015/3/17/8231031/james-jones-finding-increased-role-and-effectiveness

 

[crabbyshark]

"We're disappointed because we have to show up better than that, we have to perform better than that, we have to play harder than that," said James Jones, who always seems to be able to read the pulse of the team. "But, we have to move on. This is a teaching moment. This is a learning moment for us, because as you get closer to the end of the season, some teams will lay down and pack it in, and then other teams, other guys with pride, will come in and play. And we have to be willing to work to continue to play at the level that we played the last two months as we get through the last 10 games of the season, because the human condition is to want to rest, want to lay back, want to take a step back and kind of recharge your mind, but you can't do that if your goal is to win it all."

http://espn.go.com/blog/cleveland-c...0/cavs-get-reality-check-that-season-not-done

Thank you Mr. Jones

 

[InBoobieWeTrust]

A lot of people gripe heavily about James Jones, but I really believe that he's going to win us a playoff game or two with some timely shots and will prove invaluable in the postseason.

 

[Kypus]

We've seen what he can do in the rotation, and it's time to move on, Dave. Get Shawn back in the rotation.

Jones' accurate cold-off-the bench shooting probably will be the difference maker in a tight playoff game or 2- but there's no reason to have him taking up space when we're trying to plan actual solid down-in-the-trenches defensive playoff basketball.

Flash-in-the-pan play should be just that. Recognize.

 

[Taiter]

With the 0 for 6 performance tonight, Jones by my math is shooting 3 for 22 from 3pt land over the last 10 games. Is this guy always this streaky? Somehow he shot 40% for the month of March but he's been cold as ice since later March.

 

[Kypus]

I'm not worried about James Jones' shot. At all. I worry about getting him in the right role- 10th man, and not normally in the rotation. His shot is "gravy" offense...shouldn't be relying on him for big minutes in the first place.

Before that 3-22 kerflaffle, he'd been shooting 38.3% on the year. I didn't see the game, but I'm guessing having Mike Miller in there at the same time, JJ wasn't getting the ball in his spots, or at least not in rhythm.

Jones is someone you bring out late in halves to break the other team's back with a quick barrage of 2 or 3 treys.

 

[Paul]

I'm not worried about James Jones' shot. At all. I worry about getting him in the right role- 10th man, and not normally in the rotation. His shot is "gravy" offense...shouldn't be relying on him for big minutes in the first place.

Before that 3-22 kerflaffle, he'd been shooting 38.3% on the year. I didn't see the game, but I'm guessing having Mike Miller in there at the same time, JJ wasn't getting the ball in his spots, or at least not in rhythm.

Jones is someone you bring out late in halves to break the other team's back with a quick barrage of 2 or 3 treys.

The Cavs could use a guy like Demarre Carrol who can play defense and shoot 3s and also run fast breaks. We don't really have a guy like that coming off the bench. Not saying those guys grow on trees, but we have all these old fogeys who are maybe good at only 1 or 2 things on the court. Hopefully we can work to slowly adjust the roster in the next year or two to improve our depth. I think unfortunately the hope was that Miller and Marion would have a bit more left in the tank and it hasn't really played out that way.

If K Love holds up well in the playoffs then hopefully we see very little of James Jones. Love doesn't get into foul trouble often from what I've seen.

 

[kovanovich]

Demarre Carroll has been really, really good for Atlanta, an underappreciated reason for ATL's success this year. Great signing by Danny Ferry a couple of years ago. His profile was a youngish veteran (27 or so at the time) with a rather limited track record, but who had shown some flashes, apparently enough for Ferry to believe he fit what ATL needed in a SF (he had played more PF early in his career, I believe) in Budenholzer's system. Ferry got him for 2 years, $5M.

The trick will be for the Cavs to use their taxpayer MLE ($3.4M/yr) or some other tool, such as the Haywood contract, to find a similar player to fill the role currently played (or not played) by Marion and Jones. My preference would be a youngish player (say, 30 or younger). Championship rings not required. Let's hope this year's team at least makes it to the finals and builds that deep playoff experience and/or championship experience internally so that they don't need that on the resume of any players they add this off-season.

 

[Adam]

James 'champ' Jones earning his nickname so far. Got put in early by blatt, calmed the team a little and responded with some good shooting and hustle, glad we have this ring chaser