Tre Jones’ Weakness Stands to Help Young San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are in the perfect position to rebuild a dynasty. That term often gets tossed around in the NBA world. Michael Jordan and the Bulls were certainly a dynasty, as were (are?) the Golden State Warriors. The Spurs won five titles from 1999-2014 and were in the mix every single year in between, so they also qualify. Other than that, “dynasties” are hard to come by.
After adding Victor Wembanyama and his unimaginable ceiling, the Spurs also extended Devin Vassell for five more years. Last summer, the Spurs extended Keldon Johnson for three years, drafted do-all player Jeremy Sochan, and traded Dejounte Murray for even more draft capital. Lost in the mix was Tre Jones signing for two more years.
Jones is not an elite point guard. He has never come close to an All-Star game, nor should fans reasonably expect that. All that aside, it’s worth noting that Jones is the perfect point guard for the young Spurs, and can continue to be for years moving forward. Jones is very well known for rarely turning the ball over. On top of that, he is a sneaky good defender on the perimeter and has been since his college career at Duke.
Tre Jones and his brother, Tyus, consistently lead the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio.
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Granted, his shooting leaves a lot to be desired. Last season, he only shot 28% from deep on limited attempts. In the modern NBA, that is almost unheard of, but his unwillingness to shoot from deep will actually help the Spurs move forward.
For starters, Jones is very good in the midrange and crafty on the way to the basket. He can create for himself, just not on the perimeter. On top of that, Jones will be sharing the court with Jeremy Sochan, Zach Collins, and Victor Wembanyama. All three of those bigs are perfect pick-and-roll partners for Jones, and his court vision will ensure that his frontcourt gets the ball with a chance to score. Plus, with Johnson, Wemby, and Vassell outside the three-point line, Jones will have plenty of options to kick the ball out to.
On the other end of the floor, the Spurs employ four players who can guard multiple positions. Wemby is alleged to be able to guard 1-5, and Sochan has already demonstrated that. Vassell is one of the better wind defenders in the league, and Johnson is emphasizing defensive improvement this season. While Jones locks down the opposing point guard, the other four Spurs can play a freer style of defense behind him.
While every team can pine for a Curry or Doncic to lead them, there are only a few players of that caliber per generation. Jones is not on the same level as those players, but the Spurs would be wise to allow him to set the tone on both ends of the floor for years to come, and by surrounding him with elite talent, he raises the ceiling of what the stars can do.
