Rondae Hollis Jefferson agrees to deal

[Monster]

RHJ doesn't turn 26 till January and is what like the 4th oldest guy on the team...if he makes it.

I see he is pretty meh at finishing around the rim. It will be interesting to see what happens. I guess it's possible that Vanderbilt and Juancho play well enough (and Nowell looks good) they don't keep RHJ and they let him go. I wouldn't bank on it though. Are there any teams that have a roster spot open for Nowell for a trade? I don't have the desire to look it up. Hey what about the Knicks? Maybe we can get our 2nd round pick back. lol

As nervous as I am about keeping McLaughlin I just don't see them rolling into the season with Hagens as their 3rd PG. It's gonna be about contract terms.

[Lipoli390]

Competition for Q's guy Vanderbilt. He definitely fills a need as a defensive 4.

Life cam, I hope we keep jmac. That guy can ball. Can play next to DLO and Rubio. Il take him over novell too for a roster spot.

Well, I suspect Vandy will make sure RHJ is just a camp signing!

Seriously though, I like it. RHJ is someone Vandy should model his game after.

Our team is hilarious though. It's totally bifurcated between shooters that don't defend and defenders that can't shoot.

It really is odd. I thought I knew Rosas' plan, but right now I am left wondering if he even knows his plan. I haven't necessarily hated any move, but I am confused.

I share your confusion, Future. As Q noted, it's a weirdly bifurcated roster with shooters who can't defend and defenders who can't shoot. Rosas wants to play fast, open court basketball, but neither one of his two core stars (KAT or DLO) is what I'd call a run-and-jump athlete naturally suited to that style.

Having said all that, I like the RHJ signing.

[Lipoli390]

I know he's been in the League 4 years, but it's interesting to look back at how was viewed as a draft prospect. Here's what draftnet wrote about him:

NBA Comparison: Bruce Bowen

Strengths: NBA-ready body ... Broad/wide shoulders ... Has put in some good work on his body over the years (adding muscle) ... Can still get bigger (body frame wise) ... Looks like a prototypical NBA swingman ... Athletic wing player ... Playmaker ... Terrific wingspan for his size (7'1") ... Great leaper/hops ... Possess quickness and speed ... Aggressive when attacking the rim ... Strong finisher at the rim with body control ... Powerful dunker (looks to dunk as often as he can) ... Takes off with explosion and can play above the rim ... Does not need much room to gather himself, explodes off two feet and finishes ... Can finish at the basket over bigger and longer players ... Attacks shot blockers ... Absorbs contact at the rim and can finish in traffic ... Has a quick first step that allows him to get past perimeter defenders in one on one and pick and roll situations...Can attack the basket from mid-range spots ... An effective straight line driver...Looks to get his teammates involved (willing passer) ... Has shown good court vision and flashes as a facilitator ... Excels in transition because he runs the floor so well ... Recovers well in transition after a defensive rebound ... Likes to go coast to coast ... Not only is he fast, but he finds teammates with great passes on fast break opportunities ... In transition, he gets to his spots with ease with or without the ball (fills the lanes) ... Takes big strides because he's long and lanky ... Has a nice mid-range jumper ... Elevates well on his jumper ... Draws fouls at a high rate...Good feel for the game ... Does not need the ball in hands (or score) to be successful and is always in motion ... Moves well without the ball (left handed slasher), which often leads to lobs or finishes at the rim ... Dives to the rim after his teammates penetrate ... Ball handling abilities have steadily improved ... Elite defender (great defensive prowess) ... Takes pride in being a defensive stopper and shutting down the opposing team's best scorer ... Very good defending on the ball ... Gives consistent effort on the defensive end ... Versatile and defends multiple positions (has guarded points and centers at the college level) ... Can guard opposing perimeter players ... Low stance ... Lateral quickness ... Quick hands and good instincts ... Capable of locking down his opponents (stays in front of them) ... Tough enough defend face up bigs and keep them contained with quickness and strength ... Long arms and explosive leaping ability makes him a good shot blocker ...When blocking shots, he has good timing and discipline, which helps him avoid fouls and block shots cleanly ... Length allows him to effectively reach for steals, knock the ball loose, contest shots and disrupt a player's rhythm ... Shows great effort and quick feet in pick and roll defense ... Chases shooters ... A good help defender at the rim (flies aronnd the ball) ... Great rebounder from the wing ... Attacks the defensive and offensive glass ... Rebounds in traffic (takes the ball away from others) ... Workhorse mentality ... Intense player who plays with a lot of toughness and passion ... Plays to win ... Makes hustle plays ... Unselfish player ... High motor/energy ... Does not shy away from physicality ... Puts his body on the line ...

Weaknesses: May be considered a tweener at the next level ... Average free throw shooter (streaky) ... Limited offensively ... Shooting mechanics need some major work ... Outside shooting ... Does not have a consistent jumper ... Can add more range to his jumper ... Shoots mostly inside the arc ... Not always on balance when shooting (leans forward often) ... Footwork on his jumpers (catch and shoot, pull ups, off the bounce) needs work ... Sometimes pushes his shot ... Leads to inconsistent release points and low arc ... Leaves his off hand on top of the ball when shooting ... Doesn't square up his elbows (left elbow sticks out) ... Not a threat from the 3-point line ... Lacks a jump shot off the bounce (no fluidity) ... Inconsistent pull up jumper ... Tends to shoot the ball on his way down...Limits floor spacing and attacking opportunities because defenders sag off and do not respect his jump shot ... Needs to develop a more polished perimeter and inside game ... Not a consistent threat to score in the half court ... Struggles to create his own offense ... Has to work on adding some post moves to his arsenal ... Left handed player who often ignores his right hand ... Not really capable of effectively passing and finishing with his right hand ... Although his ball handling abilities have improved, he needs to continue to tighten them up ... Not that elusive in one on one situations as far as dribbling moves (occassionally uses corssovers and combo moves) ... Needs to cut down on turnovers ... Has to pick his spots more effeciently ... When it comes to his passing, he can still play more under control ... Forces bad passes when he gets doubled and tripled teammed ... Tends to dribble high and loose with the ball (makes it easy for defenders to swipe) ... Somestimes plays too fast and forces things on offense ... Is sometimes out of control driving the ball because he puts his head down and shoots off-balance shots against mutiple defenders in the paint ... Has to control his energy and aggression better.

[Lipoli390]

RHJ is yet another reminder of the reality that players who shoot poorly in college typically remain poor shooters in the NBA.

[kekgeek]

Competition for Q's guy Vanderbilt. He definitely fills a need as a defensive 4.

Life cam, I hope we keep jmac. That guy can ball. Can play next to DLO and Rubio. Il take him over novell too for a roster spot.

Well, I suspect Vandy will make sure RHJ is just a camp signing!

Seriously though, I like it. RHJ is someone Vandy should model his game after.

Our team is hilarious though. It's totally bifurcated between shooters that don't defend and defenders that can't shoot.

It really is odd. I thought I knew Rosas' plan, but right now I am left wondering if he even knows his plan. I haven't necessarily hated any move, but I am confused.

I share your confusion, Future. As Q noted, it's a weirdly bifurcated roster with shooters who can't defend and defenders who can't shoot. Rosas wants to play fast, open court basketball, but neither one of his two core stars (KAT or DLO) are what's I'd call run and jump athletes naturally suited to that style.

Having said all that, I like the RHJ signing.

I'm surprised you liked the move because it could be at the expense of your boy Nowell.

Wolves now at all 15 roster spots filled with Jmac still out there. RHJ and Nowell have non guaranteed deals.

Q guy Vanderbilt might have the hands of 2 players future in his hand. If Vanderbilt plays well in camp I think RHJ gets cut. If he doesn't I think Nowell is done as a wolf.

Interesting signing. I like the player, don't want to lose Jmac though

[AbeVigodaLive]

With the mish-mash of young scorers and vet defenders... At least we have our discussions for the next 5 months all queued up. ... the DLO and Beasley types vs. the Rubio, Davis and RHJ types.

Get those calculators revved up, boys.



[Note: RHJ has flaws. But he was in the regular season rotation for a good team. And he's been generally a plus-player because of his defense. So if he can be paired with the right mix around him? And it's all for the vet's minimum? Sounds pretty good.]

[FNG]

Yeah, he can't shoot (but doesn't his stroke look surprisingly good for a guy with his poor stats?), but I see this as a terrific pick-up. He averaged 19 minutes as a PF on a very good Toronto team last year, and he's coming to a team with no clear answer at his position. While I'm with Q on the Vanderbilt bandwagon, I would consider starting RJH next to Towns this season. His per 36 last year were 13.4/9.1/3.4, certainly adequate numbers for a guy who will also provide rugged defense.

Is there a chance he is improving his shooting? His TS% last year of 52% was not terrible compared to the league average of 55.6%. His 3-point and mid-range shooting is absurdly bad...13% on threes and 14% on 2-pointers longer than 16 feet. But he also made 74% of his free throws and 57% of his shots within 3 feet. I also note that he made 45% of his shots from 10-16%, albeit on very small volume. We know what he can bring in terms of rebounding and defense. Can Ryan convince him to focus on shots he can make and avoid the others, and further, can Ricky give him some really easy looks as defenses concentrate on the more dangerous scoring threats? I'm quite happy with Rosas's move here, and think he will stick with the team (and maybe even start) unless Vanderbilt completely impresses management in pre-season and makes RJH redundant.

[thedoper]

Well he's certainly going to get the opportunity to play. It sounds like he's the kind of player we would want at the 4 in theory. Obviously better shooting would be an asset. But high energy D with length next to KAT sounds perfect. I'm certainly more comfortable with this than another stiff Lurchy type big next to KAT. Good signing on paper, hope it works out.

[Tactical unit]

This was a target player for me, more on the low end but a player I wanted for sure. When we play Lebron, Giannis or any other elite big bodied star he will be our best defender to compete with them. RHJ has a limited game in the fact that he won't create his own offense and he has never shot the ball well. However he can finish pretty well, runs the floor well and is above average passer IMO.

I look forward to some lineup combinations with RHJ in them. This lineup wouldn't scare any teams shooting wise, however if you are turning defense into offense and pushing the ball frequently then I think you find easy looks. KAT can always be an outlet to look for his own offense and the on court hustle would be really fun to watch.

KAT
RHJ
Culver
Okogie
Rubio

Similar lineup combinations where you take out one player and put in a better scoring option could be beneficial as well. Next move I would like to see is taking care of Jordan McLaughlin. Is there a way to send McDaniels or Nowell to the D-League in order to give J-Mac a longer deal?

[TheFuture]

He is on a non-guaranteed deal, so no guarantee he makes the roster . But he definitely should. With the current personnel, this is how I would draw up a 10 man team without accounting for minutes:

DLO, Beasley, Okogie, RHJ, KAT

Rubio, Edwards, Culver, Juancho, Davis

A good mix of O and D everywhere.

The rest can fill in when needed.

McDaniels to the G-league effective immediately.