Are We Still Bashing Jrue?

jprdbulldog punching the air right now

If our medical staff weren’t so uber conservative we’d be well on our way to seeing Jrue grow that mustache and balling out

Jrues my favorite pel. One good game doesn't absolve him from inconsistent play. If he's (supposed to be) your best or 2nd best player, he has to do this more often than not.

The problem with Jrue post-AD is expectations. We all know the equation is that happiness = expectations - reality. It was exacerbated by Griff crowing him as an MVP type player in the preseason. I get it was a strategic PR move, but fans got too excited.

What is certain is that he has exceeded my personal expectations since he has been here. When we traded for him he wasn’t nearly as good as he is now. He is a loyal and a mature leader and this team would be much worse with a replacement-level player.

Despite what the plebs will lead you to believe, he earns his contract. It’s all about perspective.

I haven’t checked lately, but Jrue also was
near the top in assists. His game is pretty well-rounded.

I mostly care about the players and game on the court. I’m not a GM and have less interest in contract machinations and details. You guys go ahead and knock yourself out with salary cap details and contracts. Actually,I am mindful of those issues and I’m not unaware, but it’s damned sure not why I watch the game. When I critique performance, I rarely have a guy’s contract in mind. If I had to make decisions that mattered, it would be different.

Because he has one good game out of every four games ? Admittedly outstanding performance last night but If he played liked last night every night we wouldn’t be on the outside looking in

Nobody can bring their A Game every night.
Nobody. And the good Jrue appears a little more often than you suggested.

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I just struggle to game out a realistic scenario where we are the dynasty we seek and are paying Jrue 30+ million as he approaches his 35th birthday as our third, and likely toward the end of that contract, fourth option.

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Just because we keep Jrue now and even resign him doesn't mean we keep him forever. Utah traded for a 32 year old Mike Conley and gave up Grayson Allen, Kyle Korver, Jae Crowder and 2 1sts to do it.

To me the hope is that you can develop or trade for a younger combo guard to pair with Lonzo long term. Jrue is the stand in until you find that guy. Once you do you look to trade him because you're right, he won't be worth that money to the Pels at the end of his deal. But when he's early or still in the middle of his next deal, there will always be a team like the Jazz that feel they're one piece away from taking that next step.

I think you will find a difficult time finding a better player than Holiday to slot in as your #3 option and starting guard opposite Lonzo.

They compliment each other so well.

Lonzo is a much better help defender. He plays some incredibly smart lanes and comes down in doubles with great timing. You also don’t see Lonzo get beat backdoor or sleeping. He’s a good on ball defender that can keep guys in front of him, but he’s an elite team defender.

Jrue is the opposite. He’s an incredible on ball defender to the point he can literally guard #1-5. Even in that GSW series where Durant feasted, he played excellent defense, but Durant is an absolute freak and knew he could shoot over him cleanly regardless of how good Holiday was doing. He knows how to put pressure on the ball handler without fouling. Jrue is the best on ball defender in the league imo. But Jrue is nowhere near the team defender that Lonzo is. He’s ok (I’d say his team defense “weakness” isn’t close to as good as Zo’s “on ball” also to be fair). He will occasionally attack as a helper, but it’s kind of hard when you get the “shutdown corner” assignment every night to help off the other teams superstars. But I’ve seen him get caught napping way too much for my taste, both backdoor cutting and allowing open, one-pass, threes. Both are physical enough to put bodies on potential rebounders, though advantage Lonzo here. Dudes a beast on the boards. When our defense is clicking, Favors is able to contain the paint, Lonzo is allowed to roam, and Jrue is allowed to attack the ballhandler, good god is it fun to watch.

Offensively, Lonzo’s best scoring asset is his set 3. Jrue has the ability to drive, collapse, and kick to Lonzo better than almost any 2 you’ll find. He’s not a natural distributor, but he’s so shifty and strong that he’s able to cause defenses to leave themselves exposed. Jrue himself is an excellent cutter in the halfcourt. I expect as they get comfortable, we will begin seeing more of those “backdoor” cuts we saw from Rondo/Jrue so often. Having a second player with Jrue’s skill sets also just allows you to have more options to attack directionally. It’s not “PG is here, screen comes, attack”. You can throw the ball along the wing and attack the defense from a different angle, especially after setting phony screens on the “strong side”. If Jrue could get his dang 3 back to high 30s, that’d be really nice.

Off the court, again, don’t think you could ask for a better mentor. Jrue is leading by example by saying he believes in these young guys. Both are fairly private dudes.

Here’s to hoping summer of 2020 has Jrue and Zo working out in LA together with his brothers and even Davis. That’d be really cool if some combo of NAW, Hart, or Ball participates. One thing you can say about Jrue. That dude is always in shape.

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The Pels now are like Boston was

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We’re similar, but the major difference is Zion vs Tatum and Ingram vs Kemba or Brown.

Finding a 3rd superstar and mortgaging a bunch to get him to put next to what we hope are two championship caliber talents is slightly different if we have a top 2 and a top 10 player in a year or two. If Boston made Tatum untouchable and one other and mortgaged the rest for a 3rd superstar, I don’t think you go from very good to “automatic contender barring injury”.