3 Spurs dealt a bad hand this season

Tre Jones

This may be a unique take on being dealt a bad hand, but give it a chance. Tre Jones has not gotten the respect he deserves. Surely Coach Pop had a reason why he started the season the way he did lineup-wise, and after winning five NBA championships and just about everything else, there’s no need to question his basketball acumen.

Jones has done nothing but perform. He should have played a more impactful role earlier in the season, and playing Jeremy Sochan at point guard to begin the season did not go well for the Spurs win-loss record, and they haven’t recovered.

Fans didn’t expect the Spurs to be world-beaters or even contend for a playoff position, but they should be better than 13-48 through 62 games.

All Jones has done is continue to be efficient, get other teammates involved, push the pace of play, and be a steady presence for a young team. Jones fills the stat sheet in several categories, scoring in double digits multiple times in recent games. He’s also had no fewer than four assists in any of those games, with a high of nine against Utah on February 25. The Duke point guard is even rebounding, grabbing eight boards against Minnesota.

Jones’ numbers for the season aren’t overly eye-popping, but he’s more than capable. He’s averaging fewer points than last season, but he should, as the Spurs have more options with the arrival of Victor Wembanyama and the continued emergence of Devin Vassell.

Tre is averaging 5.9 assists per game this season, down about half an assist per game, but he’s playing fewer minutes this season. The ability is clear.

With the right amount of trust, Jones will continue to produce for this team.