Derrick Jones Jr. arrived at the Los Angeles Clippers after going all the way to the NBA Finals back during the 2023-24 NBA season. That season earned him a considerable pay rise as he signed a $30 million, three-year deal with the Clippers in August 2024, which runs until the end of the 2026-27 campaign.
The 2020 NBA Slam Dunk contest winner has recently been embroiled in arbitration with former agent Aaron Turner, which has now resulted in a decision. An arbitrator has ruled that Turner and his agency Verus Sports is owed 4% commission on the $30 million deal he signed with the Clippers, per Marc Stein of The Stein Line. That amounts to a cool $1.4 million.
Derrick Jones Jr. switched agents during the 2024 offseason while he was engaged in free agency talks with the Dallas Mavericks. While General Manager Nico Harrison at one time had stated re-signing the now 28-year-old was a priority, negotiations eventually broke down, which led to him signing the Clippers deal.
Jones signed with Rich Paul’s Klutch Sports shortly after joining the Clippers, and despite him already having dropped Turner by the time he signed the contract, the arbitrator has ruled in favor of the player’s former agent. Derrick Jones had reportedly signed for the Clippers because he was given a “clearer path to the starting lineup.”
Despite being a starter in Dallas during his only season there, the Mavs did not believe his status would remain unchanged. Further, he they had also brought in both Klay Thompson and Naji Marshall.
That meant the possibility of reduced minutes despite Jones having played a pivotal role in the Mavericks' run to the Finals. Dallas offered him a three-year, $27 million deal, but the player ended up signing with the Clippers as a restricted free agent.
During his final season in Dallas, Jones averaged 8.6 points and 3.3 rebounds in 23.5 minutes per appearance. Last season, that improved to 10.1 points and 3.4 rebounds in 24.3 minutes per game.
