His shot may not be perfect, and he may not be the savior we need, but Rondae Hollis-Jefferson should stay a Brooklyn Net. He may not be a corner stone, but he is still a building block.
Maybe it’s naiveté, maybe it’s rose-tinted glasses, or maybe I’m just crazy; but I think Hollis-Jefferson should be with the team for a long time. Fans seem ready to move on from him as fast as people have been labeling Michael Kidd-Gilchrist a bust. Hollis-Jefferson is 22, on a good contract, and still has lots of room to grow if the Nets are patient.
Rondae’s shot is nowhere near where Brooklyn would want it. But Rome wasn’t built over night and neither will Hollis-Jefferson’s shot mechanics. Some players, like Jason Kidd, took years before they finally became anywhere close to a viable shot, while other players like Rajon Rondo were never crack shots. RHJ should get some time to hone his shot before we get really concerned about him getting the former part of 3&D.
His cheapness doesn’t hurt the Nets either. They are not exactly rolling in money anymore. His rookie deal gives them a lot of that room, and his RFA won’t be too extravagant. Andre Roberson netted only $10 million a year, RHJ’s youth and potential is easily worth that.
What’s Hollis-Jefferson’s ceiling though? He isn’t gonna be the next LeBron, but he certainly can become a decent starter if he gets the “stretch” title next to his 4 position. At worse he’s a bench leader and glue guy, something that is just as important as stars.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is young, gritty, and overlooked. He is the epitome of the Brooklyn Nets, and any other team would want to move him. Brooklyn however is not any other team.