Although the New York Knicks will reportedly look for another star player this summer, when it comes to adding depth, one potential option is still playing in the NBA Finals.
Dallas Mavericks forward Derrick Jones Jr. became one of the most economical signings of the season. Jones did not sign with the Mavs until August 18, long after most free agents had already found a home, and he only signed for the veteran’s minimum of one year and $2.7 million. He will be a free agent this summer.
In 76 games with the Mavs this season, Jones averaged 8.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1 assist in 23 minutes per game.
To be clear, there have been no reports linking Jones and the Knicks. This is based solely on fit.
agent jones he told Tim Cato of The Athletic that Jones would like to stay in Dallas.
However, the Knicks could use more size and athleticism, and Jones has both. At 6-foot-6 with a 7-foot wingspan, Jones is one of the best jumpers in the NBA. He has also rounded out his game in important ways.
Jones has played strong defense against the Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum in the Finals, using his length to contest shots. According to the Dallas Morning NewsNBA advanced tracking says Tatum is shooting 14% from the field on possessions that Jones has fully or partially defended in the Finals.
Jones has also become a pretty solid three-point shooter, hitting a career-high 34% of his attempts in the regular season with 3.1 attempts per game for his career. He shot 32.8% from deep in 2022-23 and 33.8% from three in 2023-24, so his shooting appears to be headed in the right direction. When Jones isn’t cutting and slashing in the lane, he’s been asked to be a shooter around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving and he filled the role admirably.
As the Knicks battled injuries in the playoffs, they ran into a problem: They either didn’t have enough shots on the floor or they didn’t have enough size. This was especially true once OG Anunoby got hurt, sapping the Knicks much of their lineup versatility.
After trading Obi Toppin last summer, the Knicks also lacked an explosive athlete who could escape in transition and finish defenders at the rim.
Jones could provide those qualities as a backup who can play in any forward position.
If the Knicks re-sign Anunoby, it would also be important to have a viable wing behind him, as Anunoby has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career.
Of course, convincing Jones to leave Dallas to join the Knicks could be a tough sell. Jones is a starter for an NBA Finals team. On the Knicks, Jones would be more of an eighth or ninth man.
However, after a good season, Jones could demand more money than Dallas is able or willing to offer.
It’s unclear what kind of salary Jones will receive. Depending on how the Knicks’ summer plays out, they may have the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which has a $12.9 million salary for 2024-25. However, if they make it past the first platform, they will have the taxpayer’s mid-level exception, which is about $5.2 million by 24-25, the same exception the Mavs currently project to have.
If the Knicks were to get the non-taxpayer MLE, they could split it to offer Jones a bigger payday than the taxpayer MLE.
Jones might simply have taken on too big a role and too big a contract to join the Knicks bench. But if things go well this summer and the Knicks look for depth, he’s the type of player they should consider.
