Herb Jones signs four-year, $54 million deal with New Orleans Pelicans

Herb Jones signs four-year, $54 million deal with New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans have kept another piece of the puzzle this free agency. Herb Jones, the defensive mastermind in New Orleans, is staying in Louisiana for four more years. Jones is being awarded $54 million over the next four years in his new contract, as first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski.

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Jones has been a pest on defense since he entered the league, now the Pelicans can keep him for long-term? Sign me up. It’s one of the best deals already in NBA free agency. Paying a potential Defensive Player of the Year candidate only $13.5 million for the next four seasons? Yes, please.

Last season, Jones averaged 10 points per game on 47% from the field and 34% from deep. On top of his scoring, Jones added on four rebounds and three assists per game. But Jones isn’t a pure scorer for the Pelicans; the 24-year-old averaged almost two steals per game in both of his first two seasons.

Jones is known to be a pest around the league, especially on the perimeter, defending opposing team’s best guards. NBA superstar Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers commented on Jones’ play a while back.

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“I think he’s gonna be in this league for a long time,” Mitchell said in January 2022, while he was still with the Utah Jazz. “I’ve got to give him his props. He’s made it tough on me every night we’ve played them. He’s a guy that doesn’t talk much and doesn’t say much, but he goes out there and competes.”

Can Jones make a push into a potential Defensive Player of the Year candidate in year three? Let us know in comments.

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