Former Dallas Mavericks forward Derrick Jones Jr., who has been very strong in the playoffs this season, has agreed with the Los Angeles Clippers that he is expected to sign a three-year, $30 million contract with The Athletic.
According to further information from salary expert Yossi Gozlan, after signing Jones Jr., the number of players on the Clippers roster with standard contracts has reached 11, and the team's total salary has reached $171.3 million, which is about $14.4 million away from the first local tycoon. The Clippers should have split up the full mid-range exception (worth $12.8 million) to sign Jones Jr. On top of that, the Clippers still have a biennial exception worth about $4.7 million at their disposal, which they can also use to sign other free agents.
In the NBA regular season this season, Jones Jr. played a total of 76 games for the team, averaging 23.5 minutes per game, averaging 8.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1 assist, 0.7 steals and 0.7 blocks per game, shooting 48.3% from the field, 34.3% from three-point range, and 71.3% from the free throw line. In the playoffs, Jones Jr. played a total of 22 games for the team, averaging 29.4 minutes per game, averaging 9.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.5 steals and 1 block per game, shooting 48.1% from the field, 36.9% from three-point range, and 73.3% from the free throw line.
Jones Jr. has been doing quite well this season, his offensive efficiency is very consistent, and his three-point shooting percentage has far exceeded everyone's expectations. Jones Jr. is an all-around forward who can play both offensively and defensively in the playoffs, and he is an indispensable key player for the team on both ends of the floor. The Mavericks' ability to defeat opponents ranked higher than them in the regular season without being favored all the way is also closely related to Jones Jr.'s series of outstanding performances. As a result, Jones Jr.'s playing time has improved dramatically, which is a big factor in his ability to get such a contract this summer while still holding a base salary contract last season.
The Dallas Mavericks will sign forward Naji Marshall, who previously played for the New Orleans Pelicans, on a three-year, $27 million contract. In other words, the Mavericks have made a decision that, with the salary basically the same, they should think that Marshall's overall ability is better than Jones Jr., and his value to the team will be higher. Since the Mavericks don't have much room to maneuver now, it is unknown if they will have the opportunity to sign players who are capable of entering the rotation in other ways.