Derrick Jones Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Mavericks Sign Derrick Jones Jr.

August 18th, 2023 at 4:40pm CST by Arthur Hill

August 18: Jones is officially a Maverick, the team announced.

“We are excited to welcome Derrick to Dallas,” said GM Nico Harrison. “Derrick has always showcased a team-first approach with his ability to adapt his game to complement his teammates. His versatility on both ends of the floor will allow us to utilize his skillset and athleticism in a variety of different lineups.”

August 9: Free agent forward Derrick Jones Jr. has reached an agreement with the Mavericks, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. It’s a one-year deal with a full guarantee, agent Aaron Turner tells Charania.

No other details on the new contract have been released, but Dallas still has $5.4MM of its non-taxpayer mid-level exception remaining, along with its $4.5MM bi-annual exception. Given the lack of information provided by Turner, a veteran’s minimum deal may be more likely.

Jones, 26, became a free agent when he declined his $3.36MM player option with the Bulls in June. He was the last remaining player on the open market who turned down his option for the upcoming season.

Chicago acquired Jones in a three-team trade in 2021 and re-signed him to a two-year, $6.56MM contract last summer that included the option. He appeared in 64 games last season, all off the bench, and averaged 5.0 points and 2.4 rebounds in 14 minutes per night.

Jones may find a greater opportunity with the Mavericks, who have revamped their roster this summer with an emphasis on upgrading their defense.

When Jones’ signing becomes official, he will be team’s 15th standard guaranteed contract. Dallas also has two of its three two-way slots filled, with potential training camp contracts looming for Greg Brown, Joe Wieskamp and Jordan Walker.

Cavaliers Notes: L. Nance Jr., P. Nance, Travers, Roster Opening

July 29th, 2023 at 6:22pm CST by Arthur Hill

In an appearance on the Wine and Gold Talk podcast, Larry Nance Jr. said he feels fortunate that his younger brother will get a chance to carry on the family tradition of playing for the Cavaliers. Pete Nance will reportedly be offered an Exhibit 10 contract after being part of the Cavs’ Summer League team. Nance Jr. played several seasons in Cleveland, and his father was a star with the Cavaliers in the 1980s and ’90s.

Nance Jr. was in Las Vegas to watch his Pelicans teammates in action as well as his younger brother, who is trying to earn a spot in the NBA as an undrafted prospect. He believes his brother can succeed at the professional level and offered him some advice on how to deal with his first Summer League.

“We talk all the time,” Nance Jr. said. “Going into Summer League, I think the biggest thing I told him was, he had such momentum, coming off obviously a rough college season, but then the momentum he built going into draft workouts and then being (at the draft combine) in Chicago training for it, just carrying that over into Summer League was great. Just go be aggressive, shoot your shots when you decide you want to shoot them and play your game.”

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Nance also talked about the circumstances that led to him being traded to Portland prior to the 2021/22 season. The team had just drafted Evan Mobley, whom Nance said was obviously headed for stardom, and gave a five-year extension to Jarrett Allen. With Kevin Love also on the roster, Nance didn’t believe he would get regular rotation minutes if he stayed in Cleveland. “It had gone from me really enjoying playing the Larry Nance Jr. thing, in my dad’s footsteps … and at a certain point it became a little redundant. I still loved being in Cleveland, still loved having my family around and loved playing for the Cavs, but I needed to step away from all this and go play on a playoff team and really go show what I’ve got.”
The Cavaliers and Luke Travers reached a mutual decision that he will continue to play in Australia, he told Australian media outlet Code Sports (hat tip to Mike Battaglino of Cavaliers Nation). A second-round pick in 2022, Travers was one of the Cavs’ top players in Las Vegas as they won the Summer League title. “The talk is just one more year (in the NBL) and hopefully it’s a good one,” he said. “To be able to come back, it’s what I wanted to do to continue to develop my game in Melbourne and I’m coming here to win. Coming over here, there’s a lot of clarity. They (Cleveland and Melbourne United) have been awesome about it, so getting that (uncertainty) out of the way makes everything else easier.”
In a subscriber-only story, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com looks at 10 possible free agent options for the Cavaliers with their open roster spot, including Kelly Oubre, Terrence Ross, Derrick Jones and T.J. Warren.

Just One Player Who Declined 2023/24 Option Remains Unsigned

July 28th, 2023 at 12:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Leading up to last month’s June 29 deadline, nine of the veterans who held player options for the 2023/24 season decided to turn down those options, forgoing guaranteed money in favor of the open market.

For the vast majority of those nine players, opting out was the right call.

[RELATED: 2023 NBA Free Agent Tracker]

Fred VanVleet, Draymond Green, Khris Middleton, and Kyle Kuzma landed some of the biggest free agent contracts of 2023. While Green and Middleton technically would’ve earned higher salaries in 2023/24 if they’d opted in, they both locked in multiyear contracts that extend well beyond next season, securing overall guarantees worth $100MM and $95MM, respectively.

Donte DiVincenzo and Jevon Carter got big raises for next season and gained long-term security by opting out. DiVincenzo landed a four-year, $47MM deal after declining a $4.7MM option, while Carter passed on a minimum-salary option in favor of a three-year, $19.5MM contract.

Bruce Brown will earn $22MM in 2023/24 instead of the $6.8MM he would have earned if he had picked up his player option with Denver. Although Brown didn’t receive guaranteed money beyond ’23/24, that’s still a huge win for a player whose career earnings prior to this offseason totaled about $15MM.

Even Montrezl Harrell, who signed a new minimum-salary contract with the Sixers earlier this month, is coming out ahead, since he’ll make more on his new deal ($2,891,467) than he would have if he had exercised his option ($2,760,026).

That leaves just one unsigned player out of the nine who declined player options in June: Derrick Jones Jr.

Jones’ decision was a bit of a surprise, since he said in an April interview that he intended to pick up his $3.36MM player option in order to return to the Bulls. Two months later, word broke that the veteran wing had actually decided to turn it down and would be entering free agency.

Jones has been the subject of a few rumors this month, including being linked to the Mavericks a couple weeks ago. But the fact that he doesn’t yet have a deal in place doesn’t bode especially well for his chances of earning a raise. At this point in the summer, not many players are signing for more than the veteran’s minimum, though Dallas does have the ability to offer a higher starting salary.

Perhaps Jones, who played for the Heat for two-and-a-half seasons from 2017-20, might be interested in taking the Josh Richardson route and returning to his old team in Miami on a minimum-salary deal. But the Heat are in a holding pattern with free agents until they determine one way or another whether they’ll be making a deal for Damian Lillard this offseason.

There’s still a possibility that Jones could sign for more than the $3.36MM he would’ve earned if he had opted in with the Bulls. And even if he has to settle for a minimum-salary contract, it wouldn’t be the end of the world — that sort of deal would pay him $2.7MM, which isn’t far off from the $3.2MM he earned this past season. But that outcome would make him the only one of the nine players who declined options to end up with less guaranteed money than what his option called for.

Bulls Notes: Luxury Tax, Rotation, Williams, Dosunmu

July 27th, 2023 at 2:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Bulls will likely be close to the luxury tax threshold all season, but K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago doesn’t expect them to be willing to end the year in tax territory. Executive vice president Arturas Karnisovas said on draft night that he would lobby ownership to pay the tax for a contender, but Johnson states that it’s hard to see him getting approval for a team that finished 10th in the East last season.

Johnson estimates that the Bulls are about $2.4MM away from tax territory with two open roster spots. He expects the team to unload point guard Carlik Jones, whose non-guaranteed $1.9MM salary is roughly the same as a veteran’s minimum contract, and try to get frontcourt help instead.

Johnson adds that filling both roster openings with minimum contracts would put Chicago slightly over the tax line. He expects management to keep one spot open heading into the season and see what opportunities become available to add players. The Bulls have about half of their $12.4MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception remaining, along with a $4.5MM bi-annual exception and a $10.2MM disabled player exception that was granted for Lonzo Ball‘s injury.

There’s more from Chicago:

Billy Donovan‘s 10-man rotation appears set with training camp two months away, and the biggest questions seem to be who will start at point guard and power forward, Johnson adds in the same piece. If Donovan continues his emphasis on defense, Johnson expects newly acquired Torrey Craig to get the nod at power forward, with either Alex Caruso or free agent addition Jevon Carter running the point. The return of Derrick Jones Jr. or a free agent signing such as Rudy Gay could upend the current rotation, Johnson adds, possibly pushing out Andre Drummond.
Bulls officials want Patrick Williams to become more aggressive as he enters his fourth NBA season, according to Johnson. Williams returned from an injury to play all 82 games last season, and Johnson believes the organization should be patient with a player who won’t turn 22 until next month.
The Bulls may have slightly overpaid for Ayo Dosunmu, but keeping him on the roster was still a good move, contends Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. The restricted free agent received $21MM over three years and now has to make a case for consistent playing time in a crowded backcourt.

Free Agent Rumors: Oubre, Jones, Brooks, Smith, Giles

July 15th, 2023 at 1:43pm CST by Rory Maher

The Mavericks are actively looking to improve their roster and have shown “exploratory interest in several free agent forwards,” including veterans Kelly Oubre and Derrick Jones Jr., league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Although Dallas technically still has a good chunk of its full mid-level exception available, the team has yet to sign first-rounder Olivier-Maxence Prosper, and once that occurs the Mavs will be pretty close to the luxury tax line. They do have an open standard roster spot and could offer a free agent more money than the veteran’s minimum, but not much more unless other moves are made.

On a related note, Scotto confirms that the Mavs continue to shop Tim Hardaway Jr. and JaVale McGee in trade talks. Recent rumors have indicated Dallas tried to package Hardaway and McGee to the Pistons for Bojan Bogdanovic and Killian Hayes.

Scotto hears Detroit was looking for “essentially two first-round picks” in exchange for Bogdanovic last season, though Hayes could available with a glut of guards on the Pistons’ roster.

Here are more free agent rumors from Scotto:

Free agent guard Armoni Brooks, who has been playing well for the Nets in Summer League, could be a candidate for a two-way deal from Brooklyn, according to Scotto. However, if that doesn’t transpire, the 25-year-old has also drawn interest from “multiple EuroLeague teams,” Scotto reports. Brooks holds two years of NBA experience with the Rockets and Raptors. He played for Atlanta’s G League affiliate, the College Park Skyhawks, in 2022/23.
League sources tell Scotto that the Hornets offered Dennis Smith Jr. more than the veteran’s minimum to return to Charlotte, but the Nets reached out to the point guard right after free agency opened and he saw an opportunity for more playing time in Brooklyn. The fact that he was a priority for the Nets also appealed to the former lottery pick, says Scotto.
The Pistons, Cavaliers, Knicks and Bucks were among the teams who watched Harry Giles‘ recent workout in Las Vegas, sources tell Scotto. Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News recently reported that members of the Timberwolves attended as well, which Scotto confirms. A former first-round pick, Giles has been out of the league the past two seasons after playing with the Kings and Trail Blazers from 2018-21. Still just 25 years old, Giles recently discussed his attempt to make it back into the NBA.

Bulls’ Derrick Jones Jr. Declining 2023/24 Player Option

June 21st, 2023 at 5:46pm CST by Rory Maher

Bulls forward Derrick Jones Jr. plans to decline his player option for 2023/24 to become an unrestricted free agent, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Jones signed a two-year, $6.56MM contract with Chicago last summer that includes an opt-out decision after year one. His option for ’23/24 is worth a guaranteed $3.36MM.

The move comes as something of a surprise, as the 26-year-old told K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago in April that he planned to pick up the option to stay with the Bulls.

“Like I told coach (Billy Donovan) and everybody else, I’m locked in for two years. I didn’t sign for two years for no reason. So I’m here for two years,” Jones said. “I just gotta sit down with my agent and talk to him, figure things out. But I don’t see why not. I got no other plans, yet.”

As Jones implied at the end of that statement, plans can change, especially as players get closer to free agency. He must be confident he can exceed his option as a free agent — it’s worth noting that a seven-year veteran like Jones would earn a projected $2.7MM on a veteran’s minimum contract.

The Bulls have Jones’ Bird rights if they want to re-sign him to a new contract.

Jones appeared in 64 games for the Bulls this past season, averaging 5.0 points and 2.4 rebounds and shooting .500/.338/.738 in 14.0 minutes per night. With the exception of his three-point percentage, those numbers were all down from the ones he posted during his first year in Chicago in ’21/22.

In fact, Jones’ minutes, points and rebounds were all down when compared to his previous four seasons after becoming a rotation regular with Miami in ’18/19. The high-flying Jones is known as a strong, versatile defensive player, though he doesn’t provide much scoring or play-making on the other end.

Jones isn’t the only Bull with a $3.36MM player option for 2023/24. As our list of free agents by team shows, veteran center Andre Drummond will have to make a decision on an identical option.

We’re tracking all of this year’s player option decisions right here.

Bulls’ Derrick Jones Plans To Pick Up 2023/24 Player Option

April 18th, 2023 at 9:40am CST by Luke Adams

Bulls forward Derrick Jones doesn’t have to officially make a decision on his player option for the 2023/24 season until June, but he tells K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago that he’s “for sure” planning to exercise that option.

Jones signed a two-year, $6.56MM contract with Chicago last summer that includes an opt-out decision after year one. If he opts in, he’d earn a guaranteed $3.36MM salary in ’23/24.

“Like I told coach (Billy Donovan) and everybody else, I’m locked in for two years. I didn’t sign for two years for no reason. So I’m here for two years,” Jones said. “I just gotta sit down with my agent and talk to him, figure things out. But I don’t see why not. I got no other plans, yet.”

Jones, 26, appeared in 64 games for the Bulls this past season, averaging 5.0 points and 2.4 rebounds and shooting .500/.338/.738 in 14.0 minutes per night. With the exception of his three-point percentage, those numbers were all down from the ones he posted during his first year in Chicago in 2021/22. However, he continues to enjoy his time with the organization.

“I just love being with these guys,” Jones told Johnson. “I know my role isn’t always what I want it to be. I’ve been through a few injuries that might’ve set me back a little bit. I feel like a healthy DJ for all 82 is very special. But I feel like I’ve played well when given minutes. I’ve done everything I can do with the role that I was given. Sometimes, I need to be a little more aggressive offensively. But defensively, I just do what I do.”

Given his modest role and production in 2022/23, Jones might only be in line for a minimum-salary contract, which would be worth a projected $2,669,586, if he opts for free agency. Picking up the option would give him a little more financial security, whether or not he’s in the Bulls’ plans going forward (his expiring deal could make him a trade candidate). Still, he believes he’s capable of showing more than he has so far in Chicago, particularly on the defensive end.

“I just love guarding,” Jones said. “That’s one thing I learned in my career: Defense wins championships. I want to be All-Defensive team one day. I feel like I could do it. I just need the right opportunity and proper amount of minutes.”

Jones isn’t the only Bull with a $3.36MM player option for 2023/24. As our list of free agents by team shows, veteran center Andre Drummond will have to make a decision on an identical option.

Bulls Notes: Drummond, Caruso, Free Agency, Dosunmu

April 1st, 2023 at 5:13pm CST by Arthur Hill

Andre Drummond returned to the Bulls on Friday night after spending a few days away for mental health reasons, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. The veteran center made an immediate impact, grabbing 11 rebounds in 14 minutes in a win over Charlotte. After the game, he expressed thanks to his teammates for understanding his situation.

“Felt good to be back on the floor again,” Drummond said. “My guys rallied behind me, just gave me a lot of support when I came back in here. It definitely boosted my energy. I still have a lot to deal with, a lot to tackle in my own personal life. But it’s good to be back on the floor again.”

Drummond missed just one game during his absence, sitting out Wednesday’s contest against the Lakers for personal reasons. He’s averaging 6.7 rebounds in 12.8 minutes per night this season, and his board work will be needed for Chicago to advance past the play-in tournament.

There’s more on the Bulls:

Alex Caruso was able to play his second straight game Friday, but his sprained left foot remains a concern, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. The team is keeping Caruso away from contact during practices, and coach Billy Donovan pulled him from Wednesday’s game at halftime because the foot appeared to be bothering him. “Alex doesn’t complain,” Donovan said. “He doesn’t say anything. I can just tell, the way he’s moving. Alex will give everything he’s got. But he’s going to have to deal with this. It’s going to be an ongoing challenge for him the rest of the year. He tries to fight through it the best that he can.”
Luxury tax considerations will weigh heavily on the Bulls’ free agency decisions, Johnson states in a mailbag column. The tax line for next season is projected at $162MM, and the team already has about $111.5MM committed to six players. Drummond and Derrick Jones Jr. could raise that total to $118MM if they both pick up their player options. That leaves a limited amount to offer Nikola Vucevic and Coby White unless the front office can unload some other salaries.
Ayo Dosunmu has put up similar numbers to last season when he was considered a draft steal, but his impact hasn’t felt the same, Johnson adds. Dosunmu, White and Patrick Beverley will all be free agents this summer, and Johnson doesn’t expect all three to return.

Bulls Notes: Bench, Drummond, Ball, Williams, DeRozan

October 27th, 2022 at 10:00am CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls‘ bench came up big again on Wednesday in the team’s win over Indiana, scoring a season-high 43 points, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Alex Caruso, Goran Dragic, Andre Drummond, Javonte Green, Derrick Jones, and Coby White have all been regular contributors outside of the starting five, with the team frequently running out lineups that feature Zach LaVine and four reserves.

On Wednesday, Dragic was a game-high plus-19, while Caruso (+18), Drummond (+16), and Jones (+16) were right behind him. LaVine (+12), who saw action with those second units, was the only starter who had a positive rating.

“We mesh really well because everybody does what they do at a high level. And I think it complements each other really well,” Caruso said. “Drum gives us that inside presence—great screener, great rebounder, rim protection. Me on the outside kind of stirring everybody up on defense whether it’s Woo (Green) or D.J. helping out with the four-man doing the same thing. And then any of the guards that are in with us, whether it’s Coby, Goran or Zach, doing a good job making decisive decisions.”

Of the Bulls’ lineups that have played at least 10 minutes so far this season, none have performed better than the five-man group of Caruso, Dragic, LaVine, Jones, and Drummond, which has outscored opponents 42-21 in 17 minutes of play.

Here’s more on the Bulls:

Drummond, who referred to Chicago’s second unit as “pretty much a starting lineup,” also dubbed himself “the best rebounder of the past century,” Johnson writes for NBC Sports Chicago. And, as Johnson points out, Drummond may have a statistical case for that title, given that his career average of 13.2 rebounds per game ranks first among players since 2000, as does his 24.68% rebounding percentage. The big man is averaging 9.4 RPG this season despite playing just 15.6 MPG.
It has been four weeks since the Bulls announced they would reevaluate Lonzo Ball in four-to-six weeks following his knee surgery, but head coach Billy Donovan didn’t have any concrete updates on Wednesday, says Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “I have not heard anything as of yet with that,” Donovan said. “He’s doing good. He feels like he’s progressing. He’s pretty optimistic and positive about everything. I think the biggest thing with the surgery is the incision healing in order to continue to make progress, and I just don’t know how far along he is in that process.”
While Patrick Williams‘ inconsistent start to the season has raised questions about his spot in the starting lineup, it doesn’t sound like Donovan intends to move him to the bench anytime soon, Cowley writes in another Sun-Times story. “I do think that with it being early in the season, taking four or five games and saying, ‘OK, we’re scrapping this,’ you never get a chance to see and maybe get enough information to make those decisions,” Donovan said.
In a conversation with David Aldridge of The Athletic, Bulls star DeMar DeRozan spoke about embracing his role as a veteran mentor and enjoying a strong second act to his NBA career after being devastated by the trade that sent him to San Antonio following nine seasons in Toronto. “It’s definitely gratifying from the standpoint that I hope I can be an inspiration for guys who lose confidence in themselves. Or they hit a rock in the road, and (are) struggling to figure it out,” DeRozan said. “There’s always a way. You can’t get down on yourself mentally, you can’t doubt yourself. You can’t get caught up into what everybody else may say and the expectations they put on you. As long as you have the ultimate belief in you and your work ethic, that’s the only thing that matters, that will pay off.”

Bulls Notes: Jones, Reserves, Caruso, Williams

October 25th, 2022 at 12:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

After being held out of the Bulls‘ first two games, Derrick Jones Jr. is trying to prove he deserves regular playing time, writes Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago. Jones helped change the course of Monday’s win over the Celtics, scoring 10 points in the second quarter during his eight minutes on the court as Chicago turned a nine-point deficit into a seven-point lead. He also made an impact on defense as Boston managed just 15 points in the quarter.

Schaefer notes that Jones might not still be with the Bulls if their offseason pursuit of free agent Danilo Gallinari had been successful. Instead, Gallinari signed with the Celtics and Jones returned to Chicago on a one-year, $3.3MM contract that could turn into a bargain.

“I’ve been through this many times throughout my career,” Jones said of having to fight for a rotation role. “It’s not the first time. I’m good. … Always working. We stay in the gym, even the guys that get low minutes, we stay in the gym.”

There’s more from Chicago:

Jones wasn’t the only Bulls reserve who played well Monday, notes Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. The team also got contributions from Goran Dragic, Alex Caruso, Javonte Green and Andre Drummond as Chicago’s bench has been an early-season bright spot. “We dug ourselves a hole in that second quarter, but I give our second unit a lot of credit,” coach Billy Donovan said. “I thought those guys came in and really played with great energy and great enthusiasm and kind of turned the game.”
Caruso isn’t on an official minutes restriction, but Donovan is closely monitoring his playing time, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Last season, Caruso averaged more minutes in losses than in wins, and the coaching staff wants to make sure he doesn’t burn himself out with his aggressive style of play.
Patrick Williams‘ frustrating start to the season continued Monday, but he’s not in any immediate danger of losing his starting spot, according to Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. Williams played just 15 minutes against Boston, contributing four points and three rebounds, but Donovan offered support after the game. “Since he’s gotten into the league, he’s been always guarding the team’s best players and he’s always taken it on,” Donovan said. “He’s never batted an eye. I think he has really incredible potential in the future and we all believe in him. This is a process where the more that keeps getting thrown at him competitively, he has to respond.”