Does he stay or go? Will there be a deadline day deal for Adam Jones?

The only thing we know for certain about Orioles outfielder Adam Jones and the possibility he could be traded is that he has the right to turn down any trade. That comes with being a 10-5 player, one that has been in the majors for 10 years and played five seasons with his current team.

These rights are earned through service time, just like players earn the right to become arbitration eligible or a free agent. Similar to how some players have full or partial no-trade clauses written into their contracts and then have the right to not be traded.

Despite Dan Duquette's saying that he expects Jones to be an Oriole after today's 4 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline, there still could be a deal today. Deadline day often features surprises and this would qualify as one. But Jones, it sure seems, will almost certainly be an Oriole when tonight's game in New York begins.

Some analysts have expressed surprise that Jones would not want to be dealt to a contender and have a chance to be in the playoffs again and maybe win a ring. I'll add my name to the list of those that, in my case, are somewhat surprised. It's been a while now - nearly a year - but Jones once told me he was not interested in being part of a rebuilding Orioles team.

Early last August, for this story, Jones supported the organization's decision at that time, to buy and not sell at the 2017 trade deadline in deals where they added Jeremy Hellickson and Tim Beckham. The Orioles went on to have a solid August and pulled with 2 ½ games of the first wild-card spot before they faded badly in September.

In that interview last August, Jones said this: "I think it is great that Dan (Duquette) said, 'We're in it.' I've watched opinions through social media. A lot of people said we're out of it and should rebuild. The word 'rebuild' is not in my vocabulary. Just the fact that I'm older. Nothing makes me happy about rebuilding. I was the rebuild part of it. Myself, (Chris) Tillman, we got J.J. (Hardy) via a trade. We did the rebuild stage and now it's time to take that a step further."

But Jones' thoughts on rebuilding seem to have changed.

His agent, Nez Balelo, recently made these comments to the Athletic: "If they get some key young players in these trades, there's no reason the Baltimore Orioles can't be great again. And who else would you want to lead this new brigade than Adam Jones? Because of his leadership qualities, because he's still a really good player and because what he has done for that city and for the Baltimore Orioles organization."

That was certainly an agent campaigning for his client to not leave the Orioles, this year or in the near future. We have yet to hear Jones make such comments.

During the last O's homestand, Jones did make comments about his 10-5 rights, that his trade status was very different from Manny Machado and Zach Britton and since he spoke, Brad Brach. They were traded and could not veto a deal. Jones can.

"One hundred percent," Jones said. "They can say whatever they want and propose whatever they want. But 'Yeah, you know? Doesn't work for me.' It's interesting. We shall see what happens. I don't know what the plan is here for the future or if I'm even part of it. Let's see what interest can be generated and see how my representation and my family feel about something that could happen."

During that same interview last Thursday, Jones made it clear it would be tough for him to leave Baltimore for many reasons - and many of them have nothing to do with playing baseball.

"It wouldn't be easy," he said. "My thing is, what would happen to all the (charitable causes and) things I've done here? Who would pick up the slack? All the community involvement. A lot of that stuff needs to continue. Those kids are counting on the funding to continue the programs they are striving and grinding their way through. There are a lot of dynamics to me here in Baltimore. It's not just me between the lines."

If Jones is an Oriole after 4 p.m. today perhaps then we will learn his reasons for turning down a trade, if he in fact did that.