James Jones is a different kind of GM

[JCSunsfan]

I just listened to a James Jones interview on the way to the office. It was one of the best interviews of a GM I have ever heard--not because I agree, but because the interviewers asked the right questions and JJones was very candid with the answers. It was the Doug and Wolfe interview this morning. I would suggest listening to it when it gets posted to their website. Here is a synopsis.

1. He always considers team need and fit when drafting, not just BPA or potential. His reason is that a young player cannot develop while sitting at the end of the bench. If you force a young player into your rotation to develop him, you alienate your veterans and team leaders.
2. His focus is always on building a team, not just developing players.
3. He doesn't care if draftees get better numbers with other teams. There is much more to a player's value than individual stats.
4. Mental toughness is a big part of what they look for in a player.

I am not saying I agree with him totally, but he clearly has a philosophy that grows out of being a veteran player in this league. It makes it easier to predict what he is going to do based upon this. I think it also tells us that while he might be a good GM for the moment, he will be a problem when it is time to blow it up and rebuild.

James Jones is the polar opposite in philosophy to McD. Based upon this philosophy, he would never have drafted Chriss or Bender for instance, and probably not Josh Jackson. He will draft players that make the league and contribute but will miss out on the young superstar types.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Not sure I exactly agree with that last part. We have yet to see Jones with an actual top pick in the draft where a legit star potential prospect is on the board.

I also believe he does like getting guys with upside, but that prospect needs to have more than just upside.

Smith for instance both fits the mold of a safe pick with his easily translatable strengths, but also has a lot of upside if he can improve some weaknesses as well.

 

[Town Drunk]

I’d like to see Jones become savvy enough to gauge the value of the players they’re drafting versus the teams around them, and make the necessary trades to pick up additional assets in addition to getting their guy. I think it’s likely they could have traded back the last two years and still have gotten Cam and Smith. Easier said than done, of course, and you have to have a willing trade partner.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

I’d like to see Jones become savvy enough to gauge the value of the players they’re drafting versus the teams around them, and make the necessary trades to pick up additional assets in addition to getting their guy. I think it’s likely they could have traded back the last two years and still have gotten Cam and Smith. Easier said than done, of course, and you have to have a willing trade partner.

I agree with this, but ultimately I think we're better off with a guy who considers team chemistry and composition while maybe sacrificing asset value a bit than a guy who maximizes asset return but ultimately alienates players and fails to put players in a position to succeed.

Of course, the best of both worlds would be nice, but I've been pleased with Jones' performance overall.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I’d like to see Jones become savvy enough to gauge the value of the players they’re drafting versus the teams around them, and make the necessary trades to pick up additional assets in addition to getting their guy. I think it’s likely they could have traded back the last two years and still have gotten Cam and Smith. Easier said than done, of course, and you have to have a willing trade partner.

It's far easier said than done and, as a general rule, I'd much rather get the guy we want than gamble he'd still be there for us later. Late picks and second round picks usually deliver underwhelming results so I'd hesitate to take that gamble most seasons. Last night actually might have been the best time to trade down 4 or 5 spots but from everything I've heard, there was no team in that range willing to pay a premium to move into our spot.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I just listened to a James Jones interview on the way to the office. It was one of the best interviews of a GM I have ever heard--not because I agree, but because the interviewers asked the right questions and JJones was very candid with the answers. It was the Doug and Wolfe interview this morning. I would suggest listening to it when it gets posted to their website. Here is a synopsis.

1. He always considers team need and fit when drafting, not just BPA or potential. His reason is that a young player cannot develop while sitting at the end of the bench. If you force a young player into your rotation to develop him, you alienate your veterans and team leaders.
2. His focus is always on building a team, not just developing players.
3. He doesn't care if draftees get better numbers with other teams. There is much more to a player's value than individual stats.
4. Mental toughness is a big part of what they look for in a player.

I am not saying I agree with him totally, but he clearly has a philosophy that grows out of being a veteran player in this league. It makes it easier to predict what he is going to do based upon this. I think it also tells us that while he might be a good GM for the moment, he will be a problem when it is time to blow it up and rebuild.

James Jones is the polar opposite in philosophy to McD. Based upon this philosophy, he would never have drafted Chriss or Bender for instance, and probably not Josh Jackson. He will draft players that make the league and contribute but will miss out on the young superstar types.

I don't know that he'll miss out on the young superstars going this route. I guess, if it were greatly random, you'd be right, but I think the odds of grabbing a superstar go up if you know the right things to look for. I think head and heart have a lot more to do with who sizzles and who fizzles and it seems to me that Jones looks for those qualities, or at least tries to. We won't know until we get a few premium draft slots with him whether his checklist works for stars too.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I’d like to see Jones become savvy enough to gauge the value of the players they’re drafting versus the teams around them, and make the necessary trades to pick up additional assets in addition to getting their guy. I think it’s likely they could have traded back the last two years and still have gotten Cam and Smith. Easier said than done, of course, and you have to have a willing trade partner.

I think this is fair. He said that he doesn't pay that much attention to what other teams might do. Of course, in the draft, trying to guess what other teams might do is almost impossible. He just focuses on his own board.

 

[JCSunsfan]

It's far easier said than done and, as a general rule, I'd much rather get the guy we want than gamble he'd still be there for us later. Late picks and second round picks usually deliver underwhelming results so I'd hesitate to take that gamble most seasons. Last night actually might have been the best time to trade down 4 or 5 spots but from everything I've heard, there was no team in that range willing to pay a premium to move into our spot.

Which says something about Haliburton.

Haliburton was a media darling, but NBA teams did not seem to think as highly of him. He has an efficient game but Gambo said that he was not enough of a pg or a sg to excel at one or the other. That is interesting. Not sure I agree with it, but there is obviously something I missed.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Which says something about Haliburton.

Haliburton was a media darling, but NBA teams did not seem to think as highly of him. He has an efficient game but Gambo said that he was not enough of a pg or a sg to excel at one or the other. That is interesting. Not sure I agree with it, but there is obviously something I missed.

He's a smart and efficient all around player but his frame and lack of strength could be a problem in the NBA. He isn't a real point guard, I'm not sure why people keep calling him one, I guess it's because he's not really a true shooting guard either. Regardless, I think he has a solid NBA career, especially once the Kings give up on him and trade him to the Spurs (halfway kidding). But we had greater needs and I don't think he and Booker would pair well.

 

[1Sun]

He's a smart and efficient all around player but his frame and lack of strength could be a problem in the NBA. He isn't a real point guard, I'm not sure why people keep calling him one, I guess it's because he's not really a true shooting guard either. Regardless, I think he has a solid NBA career, especially once the Kings give up on him and trade him to the Spurs (halfway kidding). But we had greater needs and I don't think he and Booker would pair well.

I actually see Haliburton as having the potential to be another Devin Booker.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I actually see Haliburton as having the potential to be another Devin Booker.

Highly unlikely. Booker is an elite SG that can also do some PG like things. Haliburton is not elite at either guard position and will likely have to make a career at just being solid as a combo guard. Essentially needs to be a solid shooter, passer, scorer and defender and that should give him a solid NBA career.

 

[overseascardfan]

Which says something about Haliburton.

Haliburton was a media darling, but NBA teams did not seem to think as highly of him. He has an efficient game but Gambo said that he was not enough of a pg or a sg to excel at one or the other. That is interesting. Not sure I agree with it, but there is obviously something I missed.

He's a smart and efficient all around player but his frame and lack of strength could be a problem in the NBA. He isn't a real point guard, I'm not sure why people keep calling him one, I guess it's because he's not really a true shooting guard either. Regardless, I think he has a solid NBA career, especially once the Kings give up on him and trade him to the Spurs (halfway kidding). But we had greater needs and I don't think he and Booker would pair well.

I also think GM's may not have been in love with his shooting form. It's very slow and his release point is low so easy to defend especially against elite defenders.

 

[TJ]

I literally posted yesterday morning/early afternoon that whoever we picked would be someone we weren't actively talking about. James moves to the beat of his own drummer. I'm fine with him doing so. It's different than Steve Keim, who's too heavily influenced by the owner and the coach.

Let's hope JJ is the smartest man in the room.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I actually see Haliburton as having the potential to be another Devin Booker.

I just don't see it but to be fair, I didn't see Devin becoming "Booker" either.

 

[overseascardfan]

I also think Jones is looking for mature guys, by that I mean high character guys who aren't selfish, head cases or prima donnas. Johnson and now Smith, these guys are team first guys unlike Josh Jackson & Marquese Chriss.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I also think Jones is looking for mature guys, by that I mean high character guys who aren't selfish, head cases or prima donnas. Johnson and now Smith, these guys are team first guys unlike Josh Jackson & Marquese Chriss.

Yeah, just like Pop does. He wants players that are over themselves, that think team first.

And no, I'm not suggesting that Jones is the next Pop.

 

[Proximo]

I just listened to a James Jones interview on the way to the office. It was one of the best interviews of a GM I have ever heard--not because I agree, but because the interviewers asked the right questions and JJones was very candid with the answers. It was the Doug and Wolfe interview this morning. I would suggest listening to it when it gets posted to their website. Here is a synopsis.

1. He always considers team need and fit when drafting, not just BPA or potential. His reason is that a young player cannot develop while sitting at the end of the bench. If you force a young player into your rotation to develop him, you alienate your veterans and team leaders.
2. His focus is always on building a team, not just developing players.
3. He doesn't care if draftees get better numbers with other teams. There is much more to a player's value than individual stats.
4. Mental toughness is a big part of what they look for in a player.

I am not saying I agree with him totally, but he clearly has a philosophy that grows out of being a veteran player in this league. It makes it easier to predict what he is going to do based upon this. I think it also tells us that while he might be a good GM for the moment, he will be a problem when it is time to blow it up and rebuild.

James Jones is the polar opposite in philosophy to McD. Based upon this philosophy, he would never have drafted Chriss or Bender for instance, and probably not Josh Jackson. He will draft players that make the league and contribute but will miss out on the young superstar types.

Well you and I felt much differently I guess.

What I heard is a stubborn closed minded guy who seems to think he is smarter than everyone else.

The odds are if every other GM thinks he is making reaches in the draft they are probably the ones who are right, but I guess only time will tell.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Well you and I felt much differently I guess.

What I heard is a stubborn closed minded guy who seems to think he is smarter than everyone else.

The odds are if every other GM thinks he is making reaches in the draft they are probably the ones who are right, but I guess only time will tell.

Depends on why they think it's a reach. A lot of GMs want some combination of potential, team fit and the prospect being ready to play sooner than later.

If other GMs are simply considering our picks reaches because they just don't feel the guys we are taking have high enough potential for the spot they are picked than I wouldn't be worried because that isn't a high priority for Jones at the moment. Especially in the latter stages of the lottery that he has been picking.

That being said it is being reported that multiple other teams rated Smith to be picked right around where we took him. Seems like he is a bit of polarizing prospect as far as potential is concerned. I would guess that many didn't see him as a high ceiling guy and many see it the other way.

It was somewhat similar for Cam last year as well. Where after the draft reports came out that there were other teams interested in Cam within a few picks of where we took him.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Well you and I felt much differently I guess.

What I heard is a stubborn closed minded guy who seems to think he is smarter than everyone else.

The odds are if every other GM thinks he is making reaches in the draft they are probably the ones who are right, but I guess only time will tell.

I would agree with this. I just didn't realize that every other GM thought he was making reaches.

 

[Chaplin]

I would agree with this. I just didn't realize that every other GM thought he was making reaches.

It's just the repeated noise from pundits around the league. James Jones isn't letting Tankathon or Skip Bayless or Stephen A Smith dictate how he does his drafts. That's it. End of story.

I don't have a problem with that. I like Jalen Smith and we can complain about him being picked at #10 all we want, but as early as right before the draft, everyone pretty much said that from #4 to #20 there was very little seperation in the value of those players. So we pick a guy that could have gone late teens at #10 and everyone is bitching about it being a reach. Come on.

 

[Mainstreet]

The media didn't seem to be on top of the pick but many on the Suns forum knew a lot about Smith. We haven't talked about him as much lately because the focus has been on who we thought James Jones would select.

A lot of the recent discussion has been about small forwards who could shoot and defend or a point guard of the future. It was a pleasant surprise when the Suns went with Smith.

 

[1Sun]

The media didn't seem to be on top of the pick but many on the Suns forum knew a lot about Smith. We haven't talked about him as much lately because the focus has been on who we thought James Jones would select.

A lot of the recent discussion has been about small forwards who could shoot and defend or a point guard of the future. It was a pleasant surprise when the Suns went big.

Someone should post a link to the poll where each of us selected our top two realistic choices at #10. I know a number of us, myself included, chose Smith and Achiuwa.

Of course, this was before we traded away Oubre and got older at point guard, and we didn't anticipate Haliburton or Vassell falling.

But still...

 

[JCSunsfan]

Well you and I felt much differently I guess.

What I heard is a stubborn closed minded guy who seems to think he is smarter than everyone else.

The odds are if every other GM thinks he is making reaches in the draft they are probably the ones who are right, but I guess only time will tell.

I don't think its stubbornness. He just doesn't spend his time looking at mocks or what other teams are doing. They build their own draft board based upon their own evaluations and priorities and they go with it.

BTW. Its the sports media that thinks he is making reaches. There is evidence that the other teams had Smith highly rated as well. I think there is a lot of media group think that gets interpreted by fans as fact.

 

[JCSunsfan]

It's just the repeated noise from pundits around the league. James Jones isn't letting Tankathon or Skip Bayless or Stephen A Smith dictate how he does his drafts. That's it. End of story.

I don't have a problem with that. I like Jalen Smith and we can complain about him being picked at #10 all we want, but as early as right before the draft, everyone pretty much said that from #4 to #20 there was very little seperation in the value of those players. So we pick a guy that could have gone late teens at #10 and everyone is bitching about it being a reach. Come on.

Should have read this post. You said the same thing I did, but you said it better.

 

[AzStevenCal]

It's just the repeated noise from pundits around the league. James Jones isn't letting Tankathon or Skip Bayless or Stephen A Smith dictate how he does his drafts. That's it. End of story.

I don't have a problem with that. I like Jalen Smith and we can complain about him being picked at #10 all we want, but as early as right before the draft, everyone pretty much said that from #4 to #20 there was very little seperation in the value of those players. So we pick a guy that could have gone late teens at #10 and everyone is bitching about it being a reach. Come on.

Well, that's all I've heard but for all I know, maybe that other poster was right and every other GM actually has voted no on JJ's drafts. If that's so, we have a problem. If he's just going against the group think of fans and pseudo experts, well maybe the pseudo experts are the idiots instead.