Indiana Pacers will try to deal Dahntay Jones again
When the Indiana Pacers signed Dahntay Jones before the 2009-10 season, the Pacers were expecting that he would bring the same defensive intensity he brought to the Denver Nuggets.
However, the 29-year-old forward, who signed a three-year deal with the Pacers in 2009, has been a disappointment and the Pacers are looking to get rid of him this season.
The former Duke University standout, Jones, who averaged 10.2 points for the Pacers last season, was on the trading block during the off-season when the Pacers were trying to unload a player
to make room for Magnum Rolle, but the Pacers did not get any offers from NBA teams.
However, the Pacers are still determined to trade Jones, who has only played a single game this season and was only used for 11 minutes, mainly because of his struggles from the perimeter.
Although he’s not known to be an offensive player, the Pacers’ coaching staff is having a hard time finding playing time for the hard-nosed forward.
"I'm a basketball player and I'll always be a basketball player," Jones said. "You will never call me a shooter. I just play basketball. I don't take it as a negative that I'm not a shooter.
I just play hard and hope what I bring to the table will be useful to the team."
Jones is aware of trade talks surrounding him, but he’s not thinking about it, although he admitted that he’s unhappy with his playing time.
"Yeah, it's tough," said Jones, who shot a horrible 4-for-32 from beyond-the-arc last season. "I'm competitive and I work hard. You work hard for the opportunity to play. When you don't get
in, it's frustrating. But it is a part of the game and you work hard until your number is called."
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