Nearly a year after acquiring him in a blockbuster deal, the Saskatchewan Rush have traded Adam Jones to the Toronto Rock in exchange for draft picks.
Rush general manager Derek Keenan said moving Jones was a tough decision.
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“Trading Adam Jones is difficult. He’s a great person who fit in like family on and off the floor,” Keenan said.
“However we are always looking for long term stability and maintaining a championship caliber team for the long term.”
The Rush now have three first-round picks in the 2018 and 2019 NLL draft after getting the Rock’s first-round picks in those draft years in exchange for Jones.
Keenan said it was important to look to the future with expansion on the horizon for the National Lacrosse League (NLL).
“This makes the picks potentially even more important,” Keenan stated.
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The Rush also have the eighth overall pick in the upcoming 2017 NLL draft.
Team owner Bruce Urban said they owe it to their fans to always be looking to the future and staying one step ahead of the other teams.
“With the core of our team having played in three consecutive NLL championships, combined with our younger players and these cherished first round picks, the future of the Rush looks as bright as ever fueled by the youth and promise of these future stars of the NLL,” Urban said.
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The Rush acquired Jones from the Colorado Mammoth last September in exchange for Zack Greer.
In his only season with the Rush, Jones had 26 goals and 57 points.
His biggest moment in a Rush uniform was a six-goal effort in the West Final against the Mammoth.