Terrence Jones: Possible Trades And Landing Spots

Disclaimer: I have been a supporter of Terrence Jones since he was drafted out of Kentucky by the Rockets with the 18th pick back in the 2012 draft. I, like many other Rockets fans, have seen his obvious potential and stood by him through his inconsistencies as he has blown open several games on his own.

TJones, as he’s known, is now in his 4th season and we would expect to see continued improvement from the young big man, yet this season his numbers are down across most categories. Points, rebounds, blocks, 3P%, FG% are all down and it’s only coming in four minutes less per game than the previous season, not good for a guy who was the starting power forward at the beginning of the season.

It was telling that coach JB Bickerstaff’s first move was to remove him from the starting lineup for a Swiss center who had previously played in 20 games and provides absolutely zero spacing next to Dwight Howard.

“We need to get to a point where it’s there every night and we can depend on Terrence because he’s a big part of what we do.” – JB Bickerstaff

The issue with Terrence Jones is his consistency, that is what fans think and also clearly Bickerstaff’s thoughts as he told ESPN, “We need to get to a point where it’s there every night and we can depend on Terrence because he’s a big part of what we do.”

Jones is a big part of what the Rockets do, the passing big man who connects the front court…or used to. Bringing in Josh Smith is a win-now move from the front office and it indicates they are no longer counting on Jones to turn into the player they thought he could be. If you’re interested in my view on this, and you are, I was once a firm believer in Terrence’s ability but that has waned. His lack of aggressiveness in games is off-putting, and it’s incredibly frustrating how he continually disappears in games where Houston desperately needs someone to stand tall and be the difference.

Bickerstaff needs to stop playing Jones as the center in a small-ball lineup because it’s just something he’s not capable of doing. He’s not a good enough rebounder or defender to be put in that situation.

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With all this said, I would fully support the Rockets trading Jones.

Several things seem to be going against Jones, with the trade for JSmoove and what he brings to the Rockets and his impending restricted free agency. For a trade to go ahead, we need to work out what the Rockets need and who has assets that will be willing to trade with the Rockets.

Owner Leslie Alexander has signaled his intent to win now so we’ll be looking at players that fit that mold and can provide the Rockets that opportunity, to win now.

We are going to be looking for three main things (and one minor thing) in a player to trade for so that they will fit into the Rockets system;

3P% – the ability to light it up from outside is crucial to the Rockets system, and thus it is crucial for the player to have a strong 3-point shot.
Rebounding – The Rockets rebounding suffers greatly when Dwight is off the floor so a strong rebounder off the bench will be helpful.
Defense – A team with a defensive rating of 106.1 can always use defensive help.
Someone not named Ryan Anderson!! He has been floated as a possibility already so this article will explore other options.

Trade Possibilities

Trade #1 – Mike Scott (ATL)

Mike Scott is one option the Rockets could pursue as a trade option. Scott is the kind of player the Rockets need off the bench, as he’s shooting at a 42% clip from the outside this season. His total shooting splits are 51/42/81 which is incredibly handy off the bench. Jones would fit into the Atlanta system of passing and moving well so this trade could suit both parties.

Trade #2 – C.J. Miles (IND)

Unconfirmed rumors have surfaced that Indiana requires more front court depth. This makes sense as Paul George was slated to play a lot of minutes there but has proved ineffective in that role, so they need to cover that position. His shooting stats are suffering recently due to a shoulder injury (35% 3P) but he has been a consistent 3-point shooter in recent years and could add a boost off the bench for the Rockets. The interesting stat though is that he is shooting 43% on corner threes, which is where he will take them from at the Rockets which sets him up well. He is also a noted defensive player, and he forces opponents to shoot just under their average field goal percentage. This trade would make a lot of sense for the Rockets especially due to Corey Brewer’s struggles.

Trade #3 – Anthony Tolliver

A bit of a different option here. This trade makes alot of sense for the Pistons as they gain a young starting caliber power forward who can play next to a center with no range. What makes sense for Houston is Tolliver is a good energy player, he is scrappy, he hustles and he has the length and size to give opposition players a tougher time. He isn’t a lights out 3-point shooter but 37.7% is still an improvement over what the Rockets have and he has been known to come on and light it up from the outside. Two things stick out for me though; he comes from Stan Van Gundy’s system which is similar to the 1-in-4 out system the Rockets normally play and he is a good veteran presence. He has been around good teams and good coaches and he might be able to set the tone for the Rockets in terms of work ethic and keeping focused on the floor.

Trade #4 – Jon Leuer (PHO)

Jon Leuer could be the perfect stretch-4 for the Rockets. He shoots 40.7% from 3 and averages 5.7 rebounds a game in a little over 20 minutes on a pretty putrid Phoenix Suns team. I am a believer in the ‘better situation, better results’ idea and I believe his 3-point shooting numbers would improve in a situation where he is encouraged to let it fly from behind the arc. His defensive numbers are right on average but his rim defense from less than 6 feet is better than that of Jones which could prove a real asset to the Rockets for their small ball lineup. Another benefit from Leuer is his length, a player that is 6’10 who will be able to play up at the five and defend the rim and gather rebounds when he is the Rockets center.