Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Dahntay Jones' NBA Career May Be Over. All Hail Dahntay Jones.




A news item made the tiniest of ripples in the NBA this week. The Brooklyn Nets cut Dahntay Jones as they pared their roster down to 15 spots. The cut itself wasn't that big of a surprise. The Nets are going nowhere and decided to keep some young players with upside like Donald Sloan and the-man-who-desperately-needs-a-nickname Willie Reed at the end of their bench, instead of an aging Jones.

What is a big surprise is that Dahntay Jones was still in an NBA camp, two months shy of his 35th birthday. And that Dahntay Jones had career earnings of $18 million from a career that spanned eleven seasons over twelve years. On my all-time "How the hell did these guys stick in the NBA for so long and get themselves paid?" team, he would be competing for a starting backcourt spot with Steve Blake and Alvin Williams.

(Editor's note: Williams had career earnings of $42 million. Blake, who's still theoretically an active player, has career earnings of $35 million.)

(Editor's second note: You may counter that Jones was a first-round pick, but it was the 20th pick in the 2003 Bron Bron draft, and the selections around him included luminaries like Zarko Cabarkapa, Zoran Planinic, Vigo Carpathian and Ndudi Ebi, which I'm pretty sure is pronounced "Nudie boobie". One of those players may be made-up. A picture of Zoran Planinic, ostensibly auditioning for White Men Can't Jump 2 a couple years ago, is below.)


Jones started his college career at Rutgers, then wisely transferred to Duke to avoid the sinkhole that is the Rutgers basketball team. While he did start and get a lot of time at Duke, he was somewhat in the shadows, next to the program's big stars: Battier, Boozer, Dunleavy and Williams.

Jones did get drafted and did bounce around a fair bit since 2003. Most casual NBA fans will vaguely remember Jones' game as that of a defensive stopper with attitude, supporting some decent Grizzlies and Pacers teams. He averaged 20 minutes per game only twice in his career, and averaged 10 ppg only once, while playing feisty defense. But they'll definitely remember him as an asshole, because even when he didn't play toward the end of his career, he did stuff like this:



I love stuff like that. I love love love the less skilled guys being assholes to hang around, doing the dirty work their teammates and coaches want from them.

And I loved Bob Thornton. Not many of you will remember the real #23, who came off the bench for the Knicks, Sixers, Timberwolves and Jazz in the 1980's and early 90's. He was an undersized Caucasian power forward who competed with Eddie Lee Wilkins, Brian Quinnett, Sidney Green and Ken "the Animal" Bannister for minutes in the feeble Knicks frontcourt in the pre-Ewing days. His biggest attribute seemed to be the six fouls he could/would aggressively lay on the other team's frontcourt players. He had no business being in the NBA, but hung on for seven years. He's now an assistant with the Grizzlies. In his first year in the NBA, he averaged 19 minutes, 5 points, 4 rebounds and 3 fouls per game with the Knicks. And he was an asshole. A glorious, underskilled, antagonistic asshole who boxed out with vigor, set pics with elbows up and hacked at the other team's skilled players to teach them a lesson about coming into the lane against them. he was the kinda player that a chubby kid from New Jersey with a great attitude and a terrible vertical leap could relate to. You know, the kinda kid who managed to get himself ejected from little league baseball games twice.

(Editor's note: Thornton had career earnings of $1.1 million.)

(Editor's second note: We have no idea why this paragraph is in this post.)

So let's raise a glass to a not-quite great one who got as much as he could out of his skill set, in an era of overpaid NBA players flaming out after one big contract by the time they hit 30. Let's salute a guy who knew that being a tenacious asshole would give his career legs and maybe help his team win against tough squads, even if meant REALLY REALLY REALLY being an asshole (under the tacit acceptance of his coaching staff for sure).


76 comments:

rob said...

why y'all hate dahntay jones so much?

zman said...

It's a Duke thing.

Catpell said...

you could be an honorary nick, TR. were you a nick?

Catpell said...

it's dave, not my wife. she doesn't know what it's like to be a nick.

zman said...

I know what it's like to be a Nick ... and I know Nick.

Whitney said...

I was the first Nick of my size and stature. Lowest FG% of any center ever.

rob said...

dave's wife knows what it's like to be on a team with someone who lacks size and coordination.

zman said...

Daaaaaaaaaaayum!

Mark said...

The Mario Hezonja era begins tonight. We'll all remember where we were. Well, I will. On my couch.

Whitney said...

Wife (incredulous): Are you drinking by yourself??

Me (incredulous): It's the Mets. It's the World Series.

Duh.

rob said...

headed to see the mouse tomorrow. keep up the good work.

Marls said...

Hi georghies Dave style.

Hi everybody normal people style.

zman said...

I guess no one else saw Jeb start a slap fight with Marco Rubio? It was awkward, Jeb is too WASPy to throw shade well.

Whitney said...

Ticket prices to Mets games 3 & 4 likely plummeting. Disappointing to say the least.

TR said...

Erin Andrews is morphing into Sue Herera quicker than I would like.

I feel genuinely bad for you Mets fans, but this Royals team is likable as hell. The town is too, if you look past the fact that a ton of the white folks there are racist.

TR said...

Byron Scott's ensemble is impressive, as in impressively awful.

And there are some goofy-looking white boys on that Lakers team.

Whitney said...

If it weren't the Mets, I'd be full on rooting for the Royals. I rooted for them last year. Way more likable than many AL teams.

So I'll tip my cap if and when they win it.

TR said...

Greg "whore lover" Anthony is back in the saddle on NBA TV.

I can't believe Tayshaun Prince and Kevin Martin are both still in the league.

rob said...

flight to orlando scheduled for 8:45 am. at the moment delayed until at least 1:45 pm. is grumpy a disney character?

TR said...

I think so. But I think Drunky would be a better character.

Dave said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
rob said...

hello, gheorghies. let my daughter make me up as a zombie for the disney halloween party. because, world class dad. less than optimal trying to get latex residue of one's face at 1:00 on the morning.

Squeaky said...

And by latex residue, you mean condom, right?

Danimal said...

ESPN suspending publication of Grantland. Whaaa???

In other news, biggest cocktail party this weekend. The same weekend as Halloween. Dagger.

Busy day here at GTB.

Mark said...

I used to love when the cocktail party fell on Halloween weekend. Before I had kids. Now it's going to cause me to be pretty creative tomorrow.

Grantland being shuttered is sad for me on a number of levels while also being further confirmation that most people are idiots who don't want to read, learn and digest nuance.

Mark said...

Oh, and Florida is going to lose, btw.

zman said...

Pierre Garçon sued FanDuel for using his name/publicity rights without permission. I haven't read the compliant but I assume it will be a class action. Zut alors dit Pierre!

TR said...

90% of Grantland's writers were amazing. I have already missed the quality of the site, which started deteriorating weeks ago.

Deadspin did a great deep-dive on Grantland. It appears the site never turned much of a profit. No-brainier for ESPN to shutter it, as it was essentially a vanity project for Simmons.

I doubt Simbo reincarnates a similar version b/c it sounds like a full-time gig, and he has TV show and documentary aspirations on HBO.

Squeaky said...

This has the funniest paragraph, at least to my 16 year old mind, I have read in a while. See if you find it.

http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/massive-crack-earth-opens-suddenly-wyomings-bighorn-mountains

TR said...

You know you're old when you call the cops on the neighborhood kids vandalizing your block. After the second TP run thru my street crushed my yard, I stayed outside and scared the shit out of some kids. I made them clean up my yard, and then called the cops.

They're gonna crush my house next year.

zman said...

Did you rip your shirt off, put one of them in a small package, then smack his ass with your flip flop?

Joke for two. Sorry.

zman said...

I'm surprised ESPN didn't divest Grantland to Conde Nast or some other publishing group. Or something highbrow like Harper's. Seems silly to crater a brand that strong.

rob said...

my 11 year-old is by far the youngest person at this chvrches show. i'm either a terrible dad, or the best dad.

Mark said...

Oh man. TR...you are old as fuck.

The Magic are not old but very young. And they played their ass off against OKC tonight. The brilliance of Durant and Westbrook were too much though. Future is bright.

Dave said...

hey gheorghies!

went out to root for the mets but then i got bored. i am heading up the parkway to TP TR's house.

Dave said...

when i say "bored" i mean too drunk to sit up straight

rob said...

gheorgies, good evening. if you have the opportunity to catch chvrches before they get ginormous (for they will), you should. just a killer live show by a band with both chops and a sense of humor.

Marls said...

Hey Dave.

Marls said...

Hey Gheorghies.

Zman's joke at 9:30 is a classic if only for two of us.

Marls said...

The grantland shuttering reeks of sour grapes. For a network that is leaking revenue like ESPN, the refusal to explore an asset sale seems so hasty as ZMan points out. Somebody would have bought it. Established, well respected digital media brands are not easy to come by.

Looks like ESPN realized that they were fucked and were willing to forgoe recouping some of their costs to avoid the embarrassment of somebody else making it work better or opening the door to Simmons' triumphant return even in a limited capacity.

rob said...

marcus got 14 yesterday as the sydney kings beat the townsville crocodiles to snap a 4-game losing streak. he was matched up against former st. louis star jordair jett, who's as round as ever. al harrington suited up for the kings, making him the first former nba player to ever get a run in australia's top league.

Danimal said...

Anyone heading to the 'burg today?

Mark said...

I believe you've gotten incorrect intel on Australian pro basketball, Rob. Josh Childress played in Australia last year. And Sedale Threat played over there for quite some time.

rob said...

y'know, that's right. and childress plays there now, i believe. stupid aussie sportswriters and their lousy fact-checking.

Danimal said...

Betting on the down team in the fla ga series is more often than not the way to go. Not this year. Gators win....no problem.

Danimal said...

Gators giving 1 btw. That has come down from this morning's line of 2.5. That is admittedly concerning.

Dukes Tribe on the telly at 4.

Mark said...

I've had a bad feeling about today's Florida-UGA game most of the week. That hasn't changed today.

Mark said...

I fucking hate Georgia, by the way.

Danimal said...

The jmu wm game is entertaining. Zero defense.

mr kq said...

You are looking live at Citi Field for game 4. Team KQ in the house. Let's go Mets! Clarence I owe you a case. Marls I don't owe you 5 hunge.

mayhugh said...

HAYUUGE win for Tribe. Kind of feel bad for the Dukes as to how it ended, but saved me some stress.

Danimal said...

Was trick or treating
...did not see end. They get hosed?

mayhugh said...

They had the ball, down 3 points, 1st and 15 on their own 30 with about :41 left, center snapped the ball when the QB wasn't looking, Tribe recovered. When Tribe scored to go up with 40-something seconds left, I think most people were thinking it was too much time (JMU had 2 time outs left, too, I think).

Danimal said...

Thanks Mayhugh. Great win for Tribe. i take solace in fact that jmu's d would not get them too far in playoffs. Sieve like.

Danimal said...

Meanwhile....temple looking like they will beat nd

Danimal said...

Are any of the Mets followers here going to attend a World Series game?

Mark said...

I wore my Run the Jewels shirt out for trick or treating tonight. El-P retweeted it. That plus a Florida win = me winning Halloween.

zman said...

That's dope. Johnny Depp's cologne ad is the opposite of dope. He must be hard up for cash to agree to do such tripe.

rob said...

steph curry. stupid.

Mark said...

Steph Curry made 3/5 of the Rockets defense nae nae last night. Dope. I met my step daughters boyfriend tonight. Not dope.

But I'm still on a fuck Georgia high so..,drink up.

Mark said...

I hate EVERYTHING about the targeting rule.

Mark said...

Oh...Steph had 53...HHAHAHAHA.

Shlara said...

KQ + Mr. KQ are at the Mets game tonight. I'm going tomorrow night.

And Steph is on fire this season

Clarence said...

Well, that sucked all the life out of the Series. And it just sucked.

mr kq said...

Mets are on the Donzo List..

Marls said...

I thought the series was over until Mr. "Gnats will win the division by 20 games" KQ made that declaration.

Just gotta take em one game at a time and the good lord willing....of course Murphy seems to have forgotten the simple game, throw the ball, hit the ball, catch the ball thing.

TR said...

Question for you 80's needs- what was the iconic 80's movie/scene that featured the Cars Moving in Stereo? I'm brainfarting on that. Probably due to the pint of vodka that disappeared last night.

Murphy and Cespedes showed their true baseball IQs last night. Sucks for their agents.

Marls said...

Fast times.

Danimal said...

Fast Times at Ridgemont High.....

Danimal said...

Jinx. Buy me a coke.

Danimal said...

Just watched the 30 for 30 on USC. Top notch.

Marls said...

Well I ain't paying no .50 for no Coke.

Danimal said...

Then you don't getta no coke.

TR said...

What scene? Answer the question! The question, jerk!

Danimal said...

Brad in the toilet....watching Phoebe Keats (sp) come out of the pool, peeling her top off. Its a great effing scene. She was hot as balls.

Danimal said...

And then he gets walked in on by what's her face as he's flogging the dolphin. Awk. Ward!