Derrick Jones Jr. has enlisted Rich Paul of Klutch Sports as his new agent as he enters free agency as per NBA correspondent Marc Stein. The Dallas Mavericks are keen on re-signing Jones, who became an essential three-and-D wing during their Finals campaign.
The 8-year NBA veteran joined the Mavericks on a one-year, $2.7 million deal for the 2023-24 season. After showing substantial improvement last year, he is expected to pursue a higher salary in his upcoming contract.
Derrick Jones Jr. reached career highs in minutes and scoring as a regular starting wing for the Mavericks. He averaged 8.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 23.5 minutes per game, shooting 48.3% from the field, 34.3% from three-point range, and 71.3% from the free-throw line.
Dallas Mavericks prioritizing resigning Derrick Jones Jr.
General Manager Nico Harrison has highlighted that re-signing forward Derrick Jones Jr. is of utmost importance for Dallas this offseason, describing it as “priority 1A and 1B.”
While the reason behind Jones' decision to switch agents before the offseason is unclear, it's evident that he's seeking a big contract offer, whether it comes from Dallas or another team.
Recently, in a bid to free up cap space for an offer to Derrick Jones Jr. The Dallas Mavericks agreed to trade veteran sharpshooter Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Detroit Pistons. The trade involves sending Tim Hardaway Jr. and three second-round picks to Detroit in exchange for Quentin Grimes.
For Dallas, the primary goal is retaining Jones Jr. with the trade saving the Mavericks nearly $12 million, providing enough cap space for the team to use most of the $12.9 million mid-level exception to re-sign Jones as a free agent.
However, Jones may decide to explore other options, and one potential destination comes to mind given that Paul is now his agent. Paul is renowned for representing NBA superstar LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers, and he has a track record of successfully guiding his clients to join the Lakers.
Tim Hardaway Jr.'s exit for retaining Derrick Jones Jr.
The departure of Hardaway Jr. isn't a significant on-court loss for the Mavericks, if at all. While Hardaway remains a capable shooter who averaged 14.4 points per game last season with a 35.3% three-point shooting percentage, he fell out of Jason Kidd's primary rotation during crucial playoff games.
He only saw substantial playing time in the final few games of the Finals, where he scored 15 points in Game 4. Grimes, despite missing time due to injuries last season, can potentially fill the minutes vacated by Hardaway.
With about $50 million still available in cap space, Detroit remains flexible in free agency.
Additionally, by adding veteran shooter Hardaway alongside Cade Cunningham, the Pistons aim to surround their young star with players who can excel at knocking down shots.
Fortunately for Dallas, they only have two unrestricted free agents this offseason—Jones Jr. and Marcus Morris Sr.—so they can expect to retain most of their NBA Finals-contending team for next year.
Whether Jones' signing with Klutch Sports hints at a potential move to Los Angeles this summer is open to interpretation, but it's a situation worth monitoring as free agency gets underway.
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