Miami Heat forward Derrick Jones Jr. will be a valued option for a few teams as he heads into free agency as an unrestricted free agent.
According to Miami Herald's Barry Jackson, the 23-year-old wing has gained interest from the Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks.
Detroit, Chicago and Atlanta are among the teams expected to have interest in Jones, according to a source. He likely will generate some interest on the open market because of his athleticism, defensive acumen, youth (23) and the belief that he hasn’t reached his ceiling offensively.
Derrick Jones Jr. didn't get much of a run at playing time during the Heat's run in the NBA Disney bubble. In fact, after watching Miami become a formidable foe in the playoffs with their Golden State Warriors-like plays compiled by Goran Dragic, Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson and Jimmy Butler, many spectators may have even forgotten that Jones played for the franchise.
Another contributing factor to his absence was an ankle injury he sustained during the first round of the playoffs against the Indiana Pacers, costing him even more minutes which led to his eventual disappearance from the rotation.
Jones will give either of the three teams a defensive boost should the Heat let him. The 6-foot-6 inch wing posed a threat for opposing forwards, limiting shots for most on any given night. His scoring does leave much to be desired, a metric that could increase upon a change in scenery. He averaged 8.5 points while shooting 52 percent from the field this season.
The Heat will reportedly be looking to land a big name in the market this offseason, leaving Jones to likely find a new team after also losing his rotation spot this year. However, that doesn't mean that he can't start anew with either of the teams aforementioned, as all three clubs are looking to rebuild at the moment.
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