Dwayne Jones

[Chaplin]

Jones is tall, mobile and can rebound. He definitely deserves a strong look for next season especially since the Suns have an option which likely makes his salary a real bargain.

The interesting thing is the question WHY the Suns put an option in the contract. They obviously see something and maybe if he would have signed earlier to develop chemistry he might be seeing more of the floor now.

Collins starts because of 2 things: strength and experience. This is a strange series to rely on that though since both Portland starting big men aren't low post players.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

my thought is collins knows the system, knows the league, and is familiar with the opposing players. as a result he's likely rarely out of place. jones has little of any of that. he likely doesn't know the system well enough to avoid clogging passing lanes, likely doesn't know how certain refs are likely to call a game, and really hasn't ever played against any of his opponents which means he doesn't know their tendencies, which means it could be difficult for him to anticipate his rotation defensively. basically, as chap said, collins has experience and jones doesn't. superior ability can often overcome lack of experience, but let's be honest, jones doesn't possess "superior" ability, rather just better ability than collins, but likely not enough to compensate for the difference in experience.

 

[Mainstreet]

The interesting thing is the question WHY the Suns put an option in the contract. They obviously see something and maybe if he would have signed earlier to develop chemistry he might be seeing more of the floor now.

Too bad the Suns did not sign Jones earlier as you indicate. GS has gotten some good players out of the D-League. Obviously the Suns believe Jones has a chance to be on the roster next season especially with no first round draft picks for 2010. And Jones plays a position of need at center. I do believe this will be Collins last season as a Sun.

 

[Covert Rain]

hmm, comparing jones to dudley is a bit of a stretch. dudley was a star at BC in a bigtime conference. if i remember correctly he was a late first round pick. he also held onto a roster spot in the nba for his entire career. jones has none of those things going for him.

I am not comparing the talents of Dudley and Jones. I am drawing a parallel between the two situations when everybody was like "Dudley who"? Nobody knew anything about him until he got some playing time to show what he can do. Dudley was advertised as a "throw in" to make the deal work and nobody cared about what he did in college because he had not really showed much in the NBA.

 

[elindholm]

I am drawing a parallel between the two situations when everybody was like "Dudley who"? Nobody knew anything about him until he got some playing time to show what he can do.

It's a nice idea, but not based in reality. Dudley was drafted at #22, so even though most of this board (including me) didn't know who he was, he was far from an unknown among the league's management ranks. Plus, he was already earning regular minutes in Charlotte, about 20 per game. (In fact, if you compare his Charlotte and Phoenix splits in 2008-09, they are remarkably similar.) To suggest that the Bobcats, and Larry Brown in particular, didn't know what they were giving up is pretty naive. It just shows how desperate they were to unload Richardson.

Jones, on the other hand, is about to turn 27 (almost the same age as Stoudemire!) and is having a cup of coffee with his fourth NBA team. If he had anything substantial to show, someone would have seen it by now.

 

[BC867]

IJones, on the other hand, is about to turn 27 (almost the same age as Stoudemire!) and is having a cup of coffee with his fourth NBA team. If he had anything substantial to show, someone would have seen it by now.

And that ends that topic . . . I hope not.

I had hoped that Collins would fill the role of backup Center to Lopez, but he has failed.

Let's not deny Jones the same opportunity next season. He just may fill the bill.

Just as Dragic has, once given the opportunity.

 

[itlnsunsfan]

It was said earlier. Jones can't be worse than Collins.

 

[Yuma]

After watching Collins fail to rebound tonight (game 3), essentially I think Collins is in there just to eat minutes at the center position because Frye can't play the whole game. Try Jones, or pray for Lopez to make it back for round two of the playoffs!

 

[AfroSuns]

After watching Collins fail to rebound tonight (game 3), essentially I think Collins is in there just to eat minutes at the center position because Frye can't play the whole game. Try Jones, or pray for Lopez to make it back for round two of the playoffs!

Lopez looked good when he was shown pre-game, hopefully he will be back for the second round.

 

[Gaddabout]

They said last night Lopez is no longer in pain -- totally pain free. Now I guess it's just an issue of getting him back in shape.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Just as Dragic has, once given the opportunity.

you write this as if Jones hasn't been given the opportunity with FOUR different teams already and flamed out of all of them. He's not some 21 year old Euro who's just learning the game.

 

[Cheesewater]

At least his parents know how to spell "Dwayne".

 

[GYDevil]

you write this as if Jones hasn't been given the opportunity with FOUR different teams already and flamed out of all of them. He's not some 21 year old Euro who's just learning the game.

Our current version of Collins was cut by Portland in the preseason and probably couldn't make the bench of most teams except as perhaps a character guy. The question in my mind isn't whether or not Jones is a future starter, it is who would give them more quality minutes until Lopez gets back. I personally would like to see Jones get a shot. Collins is absolutely awful.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

On the other hand, it is pretty cool to be able to claim "We are going to start Jarron Collins, and STILL beat you"!

 

[Cheesebeef]

On the other hand, it is pretty cool to be able to claim "We are going to start Jarron Collins, and STILL beat you"!

lol.

 

[AzStevenCal]

On the other hand, it is pretty cool to be able to claim "We are going to start Jarron Collins, and STILL beat you"!

Yeah, it's very BILLY JACK of us.

Steve

 

[BC867]

you write this as if Jones hasn't been given the opportunity with FOUR different teams already and flamed out of all of them. He's not some 21 year old Euro who's just learning the game.

If you're looking to justify not giving Jones a chance, that's a good one.

But fitting in with a team and the strengths and weaknesses of his teammates vary from situation to situation.

It's to the advantage of the Suns to take a good look at Jones and not base their decisions on other teams.

I wonder what they are seeing in practice. i know we're seeing some strengths the few minutes he's played in games.

The bottom line? All we need are traditional role-playing Centers alongside Amare when he is on the floor. And I say that mainly for the post-season. But important chemistry is developed all season long.

 

[Chaplin]

The bottom line? All we need are traditional role-playing Centers alongside Amare when he is on the floor. And I say that mainly for the post-season. But important chemistry is developed all season long.

You mean like Jarron Collins? Every argument you make for starting a scrub center is the same exact arguments made when Jarron was acquired, and definitely when the Suns were considering signing him for the rest of the season. It doesn't hurt to try different things, but this is the playoffs. We don't have the luxury of trying out a journeyman D-League undersized center that's only been with the team for a few weeks.

 

[BC867]

It doesn't hurt to try different things, but this is the playoffs. We don't have the luxury of trying out a journeyman D-League undersized center that's only been with the team for a few weeks.

OK, it's too late this season. That's why I referred to building chemistry all season long to be ready for the playoffs.

Hey, wait a minute. Unless the coaches are seeing something awful in practices right now, why not stick with the concept of a legitimate Center starting to not disrupt the rotation for the rest of the team.

Would putting Jones into Collins' role the next game really hurt the team? And it just may help.

Edit -- I just looked up their stats.. Jones is 6'10" 251. That's not undersized. Collins is 6'11" 249. They're both legitimate Centers.

Except Jones is more of a presence . . . and rebounder. It what's inside the body that counts.

Frye is listed as 6'11" 245. But we know that he's a Small Forward, more comfortable 22 ft. from the basket, in the body of a Center.