Utah Jazz center Damian Jones exercised his $2.58 million player option to stick around with the Jazz on Tuesday, according to a tweet from ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski.
“Center Damian Jones has exercised his $2.58 million player option to return to the Utah Jazz next season, sources tell ESPN,” wrote Wojnarowski.
Jones, a former first-round pick out of Vanderbilt, has played in 240 games and started in 75 since he was selected with the No. 30 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. He played in 19 games for the Jazz last season, earning averages of 4.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 15.8 minutes played per game.
Jones was acquired by the Jazz in a three-team trade with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves last season. Along with Jones, Utah received guard Russell Westbrook, forward Juan Toscano-Anderson and a 2027 first-round pick from the Lakers in the deal. Toscano-Anderson, who played in 22 games and started in two for the Jazz last season, is listed as an unrestricted free agent for Utah in 2023, according to Spotrac.
Center Walker Kessler, the former No. 22 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, will be under contract for the Jazz next season. Center Vernon Carey Jr. is listed with a non-guaranteed contract that will become fully guaranteed on Oct. 23. Center Udoka Azubuike will become an unrestricted free agent in 2023.
The news came after Yahoo! Sports Senior NBA Reporter Jake Fischer wrote the Jazz reportedly made guard Collin Sexton available in trade talks in a Tuesday article.
“Utah has made guard Collin Sexton available in trade talks around the league, sources said,” Fischer wrote.
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