Here is the thing that gets me.. everyone likes him more than Jock.. how did we get Eubanks for cheap and Jock got paid?
Fair question and based on what we know, as fans, is a few things.
1. Personal relationships motivate players. That's part of how we got Yuta to come here for perhaps a little less money. Yuta is good friends with KD so KD calls and says "Come to Phoenix" then how can he respond? Of course he can say he's getting paid but does he want twice the money to rot in Houston, for example? So being with friends matters but I don't think that's an issue with Drew, at least not that we know of.
2. Feeling important. These guys want their egos massaged just like any one else. Getting a call right when free agency opens from James Jones saying we want you in Phoenix makes him feel like a priority. Plus they can talk more about role, which leads to...
3. Role on the team. Players want to play and I believe Eubanks saw an opportunity to be our backup. He had a similar role in Portland they didn't seem to prioritize him as a keeper. So he's out there, for sure. As a title contender being the first big in will get him seen by more eyes and more people take notice. So he's got a chance to play, play for a winner, and potentially earn a Jock type deal next off-season. Worst case? He picks up his player option and gets paid $2m+ next season to be waived. Being seen matters though, he may not have been better than Jock but how well Jock played against Jokic was fresh on every ones mind when free agency started, not a lackluster season. So Drew wants a chance to be Jock next summer and get a ring first.
4. Winning matters. No one wants to lose and no one wants to ride the pine when the teams losing because that's a recipe for washing out. You can explain why you didn't play a lot in Phoenix next off-season to suitors but you can't explain why Portland kept you glued to the bench. You're young, they should be playing you since winning isn't a priority right now so much as building for the future. So where do you want to be if you aren't going to see a lot of minutes, a contender or lottery team? Plus winning makes for a better environment, even if you don't play, everyone's happy. Work, for these guys, is basketball and when work is good, life is good. So being a part of that is a lot less stress than losing streaks on lottery teams.
Hopefully this explains why/how we got Drew and some of the other signings. Not great or that detailed but I thought I'd try to explain some of the intricacies you hear often from teams and players when looking back at why they rode it out somewhere and chose winning over money.
