With Ja Morant sidelined on Monday due to left ankle soreness, Tyus Jones showed why the Grizzlies made him the NBA’s highest-paid backup point guard this past summer, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Inserted into the starting lineup, Jones responded by scoring 28 points and dishing out 10 assists en route to an impressive Memphis win over Miami.
While we could quibble over whether Jones is technically the NBA’s highest-paid backup point guard (Russell Westbrook is coming off the bench in Los Angeles while earning more than three times as much), the Grizzlies point guard is perhaps the league’s highest-paid point guard who signed his contract expecting to be a backup — even if he doesn’t think of himself that way.
“I feel like I view myself as a starter in this league,” Jones said. “I feel like I am a starter in this league. I just come off the bench, and I have no shame in that. I love being in Memphis, and I take pride in my role.”
Morant’s absence and Jones’ promotion gave Grizzlies rookie Kennedy Chandler the rare chance to play a major role off the bench, and he logged a season-high 26 minutes in the win over the Heat. As Evan Barnes of The Memphis Commercial Appeal details, Chandler has taken advantage this season of the opportunity to lean from the two veteran point guards ahead of him on the depth chart, but admits he has had to adjust to not playing regularly.
“It’s hard. It’s the first time I’ve ever dealt with this. My whole entire life I’ve played 30 minutes (a game),” Chandler said. “This is a business, it’s a growing up moment for me to just keep my mind right.”
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd recognizes that the workload Luka Doncic has handled so far this season isn’t sustainable, according to Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. Doncic ranks first in the West with a 37.9% usage rate and is second in the conference in minutes per game (36.8). “For 82 games, it’s no way that he can play at this level, the usage is just way too high. No one can. You know, the things that we ask him to do on the offensive end and then asked him to defend on the other end. It’s a lot,” Kidd said, noting that other players will have to step up for Dallas.
- Now a member of the Wizards, former Mavericks big man Kristaps Porzingis is willing to admit in a conversation with Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports that he “just wasn’t the right guy” to be Doncic’s co-star. “On paper, it would be the perfect fit, but it just didn’t mesh the way that we wanted to,” Porzingis said. “We just did not mesh together well. Sometimes it’s like that in the workplace, you know? It just didn’t work out the way you expected.”
- The Spurs are doing a ton of homework to prepare for the possibility of landing Victor Wembanyama in the 2023 draft, including considering how their current players might mesh with him, according to LJ Ellis of SpursTalk.com. The Spurs won’t have more than a 14% chance of winning the No. 1 pick in next year’s lottery, but it seems likely they’ll be among the top contenders for Wembanyama — San Antonio is currently just 6-18, dead last in the West.
Luka runs too much for KP. Washington plays a slower eastern conference style that benefits KP, and the Wizards. Dallas really got burned for what they traded & received for KP. That one still stings a little.
At least Dinwiddie is a solid complement? But yeah, they really haven’t gotten market value out of any part of those transactions.
Luka runs too much? Tell me you don’t watch the Mavs without saying you don’t watch the Mavs. He walks the ball up on most possessions, they rarely push the ball, and the teams ranks second to last in pace.
I was wondering if there was a different Luka he was referring to
What does the Mavs pace of play have anything to do with Luka & KP play style? What does Mavs pace of play last season, and the year before have anything to do with this year? Get your thoughts gathered before emotionally responding with “you don’t watch basketball” Maybe grow up a little too, be polite, and use some etiquette.
I’m guessing because you used the word “run” instead of just saying their play styles are a mismatch for other reasons. That’s on you.
Looks like he meant Luka ran too much through KP as in plays, and with Wiz he’s on lower usage giving him a bit more space?
And KP has never lived up to the hype, in DAL he was 2nd option on a PO team so he drew more attention from D, than a 3rd option on a below .500 Wiz. Hence why it’s working out “better” now. But he’s still not what they thought he would be. I actually prefer Lauri at Jazz.
Spurs would be in a real good place next year with their young core if they get Victor. Him, Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan. Tyus Jones has been alright at point but they could do with an upgrade there or atleast some competition. Jalen Suggs is worth keeping an eye on
I think you mean Tre Jones, but I’d take Tre over Jalen Sucks any day.