Perry Jones: Trade to Boston Celtics like 'being drafted all over again'

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 Perry Jones: Trade to Boston Celtics like 'being drafted all over again' Empty Perry Jones: Trade to Boston Celtics like 'being drafted all over again'

Post by bobheckler Tue Jul 28, 2015 11:51 am

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2015/07/perry_jones_trade_to_boston_ce.html




Perry Jones: Trade to Boston Celtics like 'being drafted all over again'





 Perry Jones: Trade to Boston Celtics like 'being drafted all over again' 18414718-mmmain
Boston Celtics player Perry Jones speaks with a broadcast reporter following a news conference at the NBA basketball team's training facility Monday, July 27, 2015, in Waltham, Mass. The news conference was held to introduce five Boston Celtics players including Jones. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Print Email Jay King | mjking@masslive.com By Jay King | mjking@masslive.com

on July 27, 2015 at 10:30 PM







WALTHAM -- During his first public comments with the Boston Celtics, Perry Jones said getting traded this month felt almost like being drafted a second time. After his career failed to take off in Oklahoma City, the forward clearly craves the chance to start anew.

"I'm just happy I got a fresh start," he said Monday at a press conference to introduce the Celtics offseason acquisitions. "It's something I feel like I needed to be able to play the way im capable of playing."

"New start, new system, different conference, just a whole different new start," Jones said. "Hopefully everything works for the best."

The 23-year-old actually opened last regular season as a starter for the injury-riddled Thunder. But after posting a few big outings, he suffered a bad bone bruise during the fifth game of the campaign. By the time he returned to health a month later, some of the team's regulars had returned to the court, minimizing his opportunities. He finished the season with averages of 4.3 points and 1.8 rebounds over 14.7 minutes per game.

"That's frustrating for anybody," Jones said, "especially having those good games and I was feeling good about myself and confident and then things change. I had my injury and everyone came back, things went back to the way they were. It was frustrating, but it has taught me a lot and it's taught me I can play in this league."

Using cap space to absorb Jones' contract and a second-round pick, the Celtics capitalized two weeks ago when the Thunder went looking for a salary dump. With 16 players under guaranteed contracts, one more than the regular-season limit, it's unclear how Boston plans to trim its roster. Still, the 6-foot-11, 235-pound Jones is talented enough to at least draw a serious look. He hopes the change of scenery can help lift him to another level.

"I'm happy that I'm here now," he said. "It's been like a fresh start. It doesn't matter what happened three or four years ago (when the Celtics drafted two other players, Jared Sullinger and Fab Melo, before Jones came off the board in the first round). I'm a totally different person and player from then. It's all about from here on."

"I love the people here, to be honest with you. Everybody I've met has been great. I feel like I'm being drafted all over again, to be honest. It's just a great feeling to be here.

Added Ainge: "With OKC there hasn't been as much of an opportunity for him to play as much as he would like as a youngster on a team trying to compete for a championship, but very athletic, a different type of player than we have on the frontcourt right now with his athleticism and length."




bob
MY NOTE:  There have been two knocks on PJ3:  One is that his motor is inconsistent and, secondly, his knees are not expected to last.  These need to be seen.  His knees are, well, his knees but Kobe and others have been able to play on some pretty bad knees for years thanks to modern medical technology and techniques (an almost superhuman ability to overcome pain, in Kobe's case, doesn't hurt either) but his motor is something he can control.  IF he gets that straightened out (and, speaking for myself, I learned FAR more from being fired or laid off than I ever did from all the promotions I've gotten in my life) then James Young is history.  There is no way undersized one-trick pony James Young will be able to compete with 6'11" PJ3's athleticism.  Physically, PJ3 is almost a freak at his position.


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bobheckler
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