Herb Jones has become one of the most highly-sought commodities in the NBA. However, the Philadelphia 76ers seem to be one of the few teams that do not appear to be interested in striking a deal for him. Instead, he has been linked to some aggressive suitors such as the Lakers, which are desperate to address their problems on defense.
Jones, who is on a reasonable deal, is one of the most strenuous defenders to face against. He can guard one through four and play mutiple positions, and even better, Furthermore, being 27 years of age, he is just starting to revel in his prime years as a pro.
The 76ers have made some improvements on defense, but they still struggle a lot when it comes to defending high-octane scoring perimeter operators. That is precisely why the 76ers should already have Jones circled in red as to players who should top their trade wish list.
The 76ers should strike a trade for Herb Jones
Jones continues to be linked to the Lakers, but the belief seems to be that Jones should easily fetch not one, but two first-round picks.
Now, that seems to be too rich of an estimated price tag for a player who is not a major factor on offense, but everyone is aware of how good he is as a defender that it basically cancels out his natural lack of acuity on offense.
The 76ers do not need any more players who do not function well on both ends — that is pretty apparent. However, with the litany of offensive engines they already have on the roster, it would be a clear sense of prudence to seek a more balanced configuration. Jones is someone who can definitely supply a ton of defensive presence on the hardwood.
Daryl Morey and his crew have to conduct at least some degree of due diligence when it comes to Jones, whom the Pelicans could try to leverage to bolster their future in anticipation of a fire sale due to Zion Williamson’s frustrating health conditions.
After all, the 76ers need solid two-way production for as many minutes as possible. Herb Jones is definitely someone they should be looking at with lasers. He is just that elite of a role player, and any team — most definitely the 76ers — would patently benefit from having him offer his usual tenacity on defense. Hopefully, this pause is not a form of complete submission.