Threes Pros Of Jonas

Dylan Mckneely • August 31, 2023

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, “the Pels need to trade Jonas” or “the Pels need a floor-spacing big that can protect the rim instead of Jonas.” One of the hottest talking points of the New Orleans Pelicans offseason is what will they do with Jonas Valanciunas. Multiple reports have surfaced about the Pels desire to move on from Valanciunas. According to Will Guillory and Jon Hollinger of The Athletics, some potential targets to replace JV are Jarrett Allen(Cleveland Cavaliers) and Isaiah Stewart(Detroit Pistons).


While Jonas lacks the athleticism or defensive acumen that may be desired from the Center position in this iteration of the New Orleans, here are three major pros to going into the 2023-2024 season with Jonas Valanciunas as the starting center of the Pels but before we jump in, let's ready your basketball palette with the hors d'oeuvre of watching Jonas put on a show against one of the best defensive teams in the league(Milwaukee Bucks) last year.




Shooting Capability


One of the hottest commodities in the NBA alongside a three and D, 6’8 wing player, is a floor spacing big man. Valanciunas ended the season as a 34.9% three point shooter on 1.4 attempts per game, which is good enough for fifth amongst NBA Centers. Usually these percentages decline with an increase in attempts, but statistics show otherwise for Jonas. During the 2021-2022 season Jonas carried a 36.1 three point percentage on 2.1 attempts per game. Jonas has the capability to be an above average floor spacing Center if given the opportunity to do so.


Shooting 54.7% from the field with a beneath the rim style of play, also shows the high level of efficiency that Jonas scores at from inside the three point line. While it may be the most simple way to space the floor, sitting your center behind the three point line is not the only way to space the floor. Placing JV in the dunker spot on Zion’s rim attacks forces the defense to choose between potentially ended up on the wrong side of a highlight dunk, or giving up the patented Jonas push floater. Or running the high low action often deployed by Demarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis during the 2017-2018 season, could be a highly effective scheme. Zion has shown the capability to make the free throw line jump shot, which could make doubling Jonas in the post a dangerous decision. Even if Zion chooses not to shoot the free throw line jumper, giving him space to pick up speed doesn’t sound like wisdom to me. With Jonas high and Zion low on this action, defenses would have to respect Jonas ability to shoot the midrange jumper at an efficient clip, which could give Zion more room to work.


The moral of the story is Jonas gives you the desired capability of making room for your stars to attack the rim and be playmakers. With the right kind of scheme in place, we may even see another level of play from all parties involved. Being apart of the 50/30/80 club is not as illustrious as the 50/40/90 club, but it is still very impressive.




Defensive Rebounding


Jonas averaged 7.3 defensive rebounds per game, which is good enough for 9th amongst centers in the NBA. This accomplishment is made even more astonishing when you learn that he played two minutes than the next individual on the top ten rebounding list at 24.9 minutes per game.


There’s not many things in life more amazing than a Zion Williamson or Trey Murphy III highlight reel fast break dunk. The easiest way to start the break, is to secure the defensive rebound. Jonas does this at an elite level. While he may not be the benefactor of many alley oops or fast break advance passes in his career, he has the ability to play the Kevin Love role of advancing the ball forward for his more athletic counterparts to put on a show for the fans.


On top of his high number of defensive rebounds, Jonas lead the league in total rebounding percentage which is the estimated percentage of available rebounds grabbed by the player while the player is on the court.


You still have the ability to play fast with a not so fast post player. The ball moves faster than any player on the floor. To have a big with the ability to secure the defensive rebound at a high rate and advance the ball, might not be the worst thing in the world to have.



Availability


The most important ability is availability and this sediment means even more for the often injury prone Pelicans. Jonas played in 80 of the possible 83 games of the Pels 2022-2023 season which ties him for fifth most in the entire NBA.


The gift of not worrying about who your starting Center will be on a nightly basis, should not be a forgotten commodity. Jonas gives you that ease of mind more than all but two other center in the NBA(Vucevic & Sabonis). Availability creates continuity, continuity creates chemistry, chemistry is the key ingredient to success.


JV and CJ McCollum often displayed this chemistry through the two man game they often ran seamlessly. While I would agree that the combo of Zion and Valanciunas often looked clunky and discombobulated at times, I would submit to you the idea that with time and continuity those rocky parts could’ve been smoothed out.


Jonas may not be everything you look for at the Center position in the modern NBA, but he is still a very skilled, more than serviceable basketball player. Could you find a better fit next to your star players? Possibly, but unless it’s he is a defensive staple in the NBA would it be worth it? That’s a question I will leave for you to answer.


- Dylan Mckneely (@DylanMckneely)

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Louisiana Looks to Get Back on Track Against Troy: Game Preview, Keys to the Game, and Prediction

By Abdul Abusada • October 17, 2026
The 4-2 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns are back home at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium this weekend as they prepare to host the 3-2 Troy Trojans on Saturday afternoon at 4pm. Both teams are looking to pick up an important Sun Belt Conference victory, with Louisiana entering at 1-1 in conference play and Troy sitting at 1-0. The Trojans are the defending Sun Belt West Division champions as they beat the Cajuns last year, making Saturday’s matchup an important one for both teams’ conference championship hopes. The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Louisiana is looking to rebound from a heartbreaking 32-31 loss to Louisiana Tech last Saturday in Ruston. In what was an exciting renewal of the rivalry between the two schools, the Cajuns led for much of the second half, at one point holding a 12-point lead early in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, questionable late-game offensive decisions, an inability to slow down Louisiana Tech’s offense in the final minutes, and costly turnovers came back to haunt the Cajuns. The Bulldogs scored 13 unanswered points in the final four minutes to complete the comeback, while a Lunch Winfield interception on Louisiana’s final possession ended any hopes of a response. One big positive from the game was Louisiana’s ability to air the ball out and create explosive plays. Winfield completed 14 of his 24 passes for a season-high 239 yards, averaging 17.1 yards per completion. Receivers found themselves open, and Winfield made some impressive throws, including a 45-yard touchdown pass to KeDarius Wade in the fourth quarter. But three costly turnovers, including a lost fumble by Winfield in the red zone on Louisiana’s opening drive, overshadowed an otherwise productive offensive performance. Despite injuries and other adversity, Louisiana’s offense has continued to evolve. Winfield has shown improvement as a passer, completing 72% of his throws for 1,083 yards this season. And while passing hasn’t been the Cajuns’ primary method of moving the football, Winfield has been effective on the ground, leading the team with 398 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. The Cajuns will also be dealing with another injury at receiver. Landon Strother is expected to miss an extended period after suffering an injury against Louisiana Tech. The good news is that Shelton Sampson Jr. made an encouraging return to the passing game last week, recording his first two receptions of the season for 60 yards. Defensively, Louisiana has remained strong against the run, allowing just 100.7 yards per game. However, the pass defense struggled against Louisiana Tech, surrendering 319 passing yards and three touchdowns to quarterback Blake Baker. The Cajuns held the Bulldogs to just 13 points through three quarters before allowing 19 in the fourth. Injuries have tested this defense, but the bottom line is simple: Louisiana needs four full quarters of consistent defensive football if it wants to win games like these. Kneaux the Opponent: Troy Trojans Unlike Louisiana, Troy enters Saturday’s matchup coming off its most dominant offensive performance of the season, defeating Southern Miss 55-34 last weekend. The Trojans put up a whopping 662 yards of total offense, including 437 rushing yards. Quarterback Goose Crowder completed 18 of his 21 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns while adding 145 rushing yards and two more scores on 17 carries. Running back Jordan Lovett also had an impressive performance, rushing for 142 yards and a touchdown on just 12 carries. Troy’s offense has heavily relied on the ground game this season, averaging 220.4 rushing yards per contest. Running backs Gavin Griffin, Jaheim Merriweather, and Jordan Lovett have combined for nearly 900 rushing yards, with each averaging roughly five yards or more per carry. Now, it’s worth mentioning that Troy was averaging about 166 rushing yards per game before its explosion against Southern Miss, so the numbers are inflated following the win over a struggling Golden Eagles team. Nevertheless, with Crowder also showing what he can do on the ground, this is a rushing attack Louisiana will have to take seriously. Crowder hasn’t necessarily been the most consistent passer, completing just 57% of his throws while averaging 209 yards per game. But his performance against Southern Miss showed what he’s capable of when the offense gets going. Defensively, Troy has been solid against the run, allowing just 113.6 rushing yards per game and holding opponents to under four yards per carry. The Trojans are also allowing 24 points per game, including holding a ranked Missouri team to 27 points in a 10-point road loss. It’s been a different story through the air, however. Troy has allowed 236.2 passing yards per game and 10 passing touchdowns through five games. Even in its blowout victory over Southern Miss, the Trojans surrendered 391 passing yards and three passing touchdowns. But that’s not to say this defense isn’t dangerous. Troy forced three turnovers against Southern Miss and has seven takeaways this season. One player Louisiana will need to keep an eye on is Donnie Smith, a 6-foot-4, 234-pound edge defender who has recorded five sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles this season. Smith has been disruptive all year and will present a challenge for Louisiana’s offensive line and Winfield. Luckily, the offensive line is expected to be a full health with Matt Broussard returning after being in concussion protocol ever since the USC game. Three Keys to a Louisiana Victory 1. Slow Down Troy’s Rushing Attack Saturday presents an intriguing matchup between two teams that have found plenty of success running the football. Troy averages 220 rushing yards per game, while Louisiana averages 193. Both teams also have strong run defenses, making the battle in the trenches particularly important. For Louisiana, the biggest challenge will be containing a Troy rushing attack coming off a 437-yard performance. The Cajuns have allowed just 3.5 yards per carry and a little over 100 rushing yards per game this season. If they can hold Troy to under 150 or even 130 yards on the ground, it could force the Trojans to rely more heavily on a passing game that hasn’t been nearly as consistent. 2. Take Advantage of Troy’s Pass Defense Troy has struggled at times defending the pass, allowing more than 236 yards per game through the air. That said, this could be a great opportunity for Louisiana to get its passing game going. The problem is that Louisiana averages just 189 passing yards per contest, despite Winfield’s impressive completion percentage. Now granted, the Cajuns haven’t necessarily needed to throw the ball much this season with their success on the ground. But against a defense that has given up some big performances through the air, I think this is an opportunity worth taking. If Winfield can find KeDarius Wade, Trenton Chaney, Shelton Sampson Jr., and other playmakers in space, Louisiana could have some success moving the football. It almost paid off last weekend, so against a flimsy pass defense, no reason it doesn’t pan out well this weekend. Now Troy has been particularly strong inside the red zone, allowing opponents to score on just 12 of 19 opportunities, so just moving the football won’t be enough. The big positive for the Cajuns this season is they are 23 of 24 in the red zone, with their one missed opportunity being the fumble on the Cajuns’ opening drive of the game last week. They’ve done it well this season, but against a good red zone defense, the Cajuns will need to continue finish drives with points, and with touchdowns more so than field goals. 3. Protect the Football This might be the most important key of them all. Louisiana has committed 10 turnovers through six games, including three against Louisiana Tech. Troy, meanwhile, has forced seven turnovers in five games, three of which came against Southern Miss. The Cajuns have done a good job creating turnovers themselves, recording 12 takeaways this season. But as last week’s loss showed, giving the football away in costly situations can change the outcome of a game. For Louisiana, the goal is simple: protect the football, make smart decisions, and don’t give Troy unnecessary opportunities. Winfield as a leader has shown that he can bounce back from mistakes. But against a disruptive Troy defense, he and the rest of the offense will need to be disciplined for four full quarters. My Final Score Prediction: Louisiana 34, Troy 31 I see this game being another exciting, closely contested matchup, much like last week’s game against Louisiana Tech. It’s not as deep of a rivalry, but the implications that may come from this game will surely make it feel like one. Both teams run the football well but will be facing some pretty good run defenses. Because of that, I wouldn’t be surprised if both offenses have to rely more on their passing games than usual. Luckily, the Cajuns ended up in that situation last week, and it worked well until costly mistakes took over. Now that they have that under their belts, let’s see if they can improve on that. In my opinion, two of the biggest deciding factors will be turnovers and special teams. Louisiana has had much more offensive success when they win the turnover battle, so keeping the ball secure will be imperative in order to win this game. Louisiana also has an advantage in the kicking game, with Tony Sterner perfect on all eight of his field goal attempts this season, compared to Troy’s 7-for-11 mark. When red zone defense plays a factor, the kicker will play a big role. Another factor to take into consideration is home-field advantage. Louisiana enters Saturday undefeated at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium this season with a 3-0 home record. Troy, on the other hand, has yet to win a game on the road, losing both of its away matchups against Missouri and Utah State. As long as Coach Des’ play-calling is on point, the offense limits costly mistakes, and the defense can slow down Troy’s rushing attack, I think Louisiana has what it takes to come away with a victory. It won’t be easy, but I’m taking the Cajuns to win a close one, get back on track, and get some revenge after last year’s 35-23 loss at Troy. Follow Abdul Abusada and Cajun Sports Talk on Instagram @CajunSportsTalk for all things Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football. 

Week 7: LSU vs. Mississippi State Preview

By Chrissy Smith • October 16, 2026
BATON ROUGE - LSU will have an opportunity to get back on track Saturday when Mississippi State visits Tiger Stadium for an SEC matchup that carries plenty of importance for both teams. The Tigers are coming off a disappointing 35-34 overtime loss to Kentucky, a game that left little room for error as they continue working toward their postseason goals. Mississippi State, meanwhile, enters the matchup at 4-1 after a bye week, looking to respond to a 56-23 loss to Alabama. LSU is 4-2 on the season and 1-2 in SEC play, while the Bulldogs are 4-1 overall and 2-1 in conference action. With both teams looking to make a statement, Saturday presents an important opportunity for the Tigers to protect their home field. LSU's Offense Has an Opportunity to Get Back on Track Quarterback Sam Leavitt and the LSU offense will be one of the biggest storylines heading into Saturday's game. The Tigers have been productive offensively, averaging approximately 525 yards per game. Leavitt has thrown for 1,496 yards and 10 touchdowns, while also providing a running threat with seven rushing touchdowns. However, turnovers have been an issue, with Leavitt throwing eight interceptions this season. LSU cannot afford to give Mississippi State extra opportunities, particularly with the Tigers looking to regain some consistency after the loss to Kentucky. The Bulldogs have struggled against the pass, allowing 247.4 passing yards per game. That could create opportunities for Leavitt to attack through the air, especially if LSU can establish its running game and keep Mississippi State's defense from focusing entirely on the passing attack. Mississippi State's Quarterback Situation Bears Watching Mississippi State's offense could look different depending on the availability of quarterback Kamario Taylor, who is listed as questionable with a lower-body injury. Taylor has been one of the Bulldogs' most important players, leading an offense that has averaged 487 yards per game. His status will be worth monitoring leading up to kickoff. Running back Fluff Bothwell is also questionable after suffering an injury against Alabama. If either player is unavailable, Mississippi State could have to rely more heavily on its depth. Wide receiver Anthony Evans III remains an important player to watch. He has recorded 40 receptions for 574 yards and five touchdowns, making him a key target for the Bulldogs. Defense and Turnovers Could Decide the Game LSU's defense will need to take advantage of any uncertainty surrounding Mississippi State's offense. Forcing the Bulldogs into difficult third-down situations and limiting explosive plays will be important, especially early in the game. The Tigers also need to finish drives. Moving the ball between the 20-yard lines is encouraging, but converting those opportunities into touchdowns is what separates productive offenses from winning ones. LSU has won the last three meetings between these programs, including a 41-14 victory in 2023. The Tigers will look to continue that trend Saturday. Prediction LSU has the offensive talent and home-field advantage to win this matchup, but the Tigers must play with greater consistency. Protecting the football, establishing the run and taking advantage of Mississippi State's passing-defense struggles should be priorities. After a frustrating loss to Kentucky, LSU needs a complete performance. Saturday is an opportunity to show that the Tigers can respond to adversity and keep their SEC season moving in the right direction.
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