Derrick Jones Rumors
All NBA Players
Position: F
Born: 02/15/97
Height: 6-6 / 1.98
Weight:195 lbs. / 88.5 kg.
Salary: $1,645,357
Born: 02/15/97
Height: 6-6 / 1.98
Weight:195 lbs. / 88.5 kg.
Salary: $1,645,357
Five Reasons Sports Network: Derrick Jones Jr — confirmed and named by several outlets 2 weeks ago as testing positive for Covid-19 — has been cleared and is expected to join the Miami Heat to enter the bubble tomorrow, according to multiple Five Reasons Sports sources
Ira Winderman: Source: Heat forward Derrick Jones Jr. tests positive for coronavirus.
It looks like Heat impending free agent forward Derrick Jones Jr. is willing to accept the risk. At this point, the 23-year-old Jones plans to play when Miami’s season resumes. “Honestly, I haven’t been thinking about it much,” Jones said to the Miami Herald of becoming an unrestricted free agent this offseason. “I just focus on the task at hand. My task at hand is to make the playoffs this season, and we did it. My next task is to make it as far as we can in the playoffs and try to contend for a title. That’s what I got on my mind right now, and that’s what I’m thinking about right now. When that time comes for free agency, that’s honestly when I’m probably going to think about it.”
Whatever happens, Jones hopes to re-sign with the Heat in free agency this offseason and he hasn’t been shy about making that known. It’s one of the reasons he feels so compelled to participate in the restart despite the injury risk, as a sign of loyalty to the Heat. “The team gave me my first opportunity really in the NBA,” Jones said when asked why he hopes to re-sign with Miami. “When I first came here on my two-way [contract], coach [Erik Spoelstra] threw me in the fire a lot. … He just always gave me a shot, and I just had to take full advantage of every opportunity he gave me.
I expect Cleveland to take a long look at Miami’s Derrick Jones Jr., a high-flying 6-6 combo forward who is only 23, but the Cavs will have a lot of company. Even with a full MLE offer, I’m not sure the Cavs can win here.
Arguably no player fits into that category more than Derrick Jones Jr., who, even in these depressed economic times, stands poised for a major raise from the minimum-scale $1.6 million he is earning in this final season on his Miami Heat contract. The options, beyond opting out of participation in an NBA return, have proved limiting. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, and even before, insurance policies against future earnings have been prohibitively costly, if available. In addition, there has been no traction regarding players in such position being allowed to re-sign in advance of an NBA return.
That also was a juncture when it seemed unfathomable that an NBA restart might not come until late July or, as recent speculation has hinted, August. It is a time frame that has Jones now at risk of injury under lower pay at a time when he otherwise could have been set with a contract paying eight figures annually.
Up-tempo teams in need of help at either forward spot should be digging on Jones, especially since his best years should still be ahead. He’s an unrestricted free agent who, like Wood above, carries a low cap hold of just $1.7M, and he has full Bird rights with Miami. However, the Heat may get squeamish about paying him past next summer, when they’re trying to keep their cap space powder dry for a run at an elite free agent (coughGianniscough). That could provide an opportunity for another team to swoop in and grab Jones.
Bleacher Report: “There’s only a couple of people that think D-Jones should have won, though … You and D-Jones.” D-Wade and Aaron Gordon clear the air about the 2020 dunk contest *NSFW* (via @DwyaneWade)
Aaron Gordon has put his displeasure with the 2020 Dunk Contest into a “diss” track titled “9 OUT OF 10,” in which he calls out Dwyane Wade for the vote that helped him lose to Miami’s Derrick Jones Jr. In an epic dunk contest back in February, Gordon dunked over Chance the Rapper (twice) and threw down 360-degree, between-the-leg slams. The battle between Gordon and Jones carried on into a “dunk-off” in which each player had to improvise dunks that hadn’t been rehearsed. For Gordon’s final dunk, he cleared 7-foot-6 Tacko Fall.
Gordon lost to Miami Heat high-flyer Derrick Jones Jr., marking the second time the Magic star has been robbed in a Dunk Contest. Orlando fans are still upset at Wade for giving Gordon a 9. The future NBA Hall of Famer tried to explain himself once again. “Because I felt it deserved a 9,” Dwyane Wade explained about Aaron Gordon’s dunk. “A 9 is not a bad thing. I think it deserved a 9 because he didn’t clear him. People are still talking about this dunk contest months later. As judges, we made it interesting.”
The semifinals begin Saturday at 8 p.m. on ESPN. The matchups are Ayton vs. Beverley and Booker vs. Harrell, providing Suns-Clippers undercurrents in both games. Interestingly enough, both pairs were the only tournament participants from the same team among the original field of 16. Ayton faced the toughest test among the semifinalists on Thursday during his battle with Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks. Booker cruised by Rui Hachimura (Washington Wizards) in the first game and Harrell took out No. 16 seed Derrick Jones Jr., who defeated top seed Kevin Durant during the opening game of the tournament.
Gerald Bourguet: (5) Devin Booker beats (13) Rui Hachimura 71-55 in the quarterfinals of the NBA 2K Tournament. He’ll face the winner of (16) Derrick Jones Jr. and (8) Montrezl Harrell
Gerald Bourguet: (8) Montrezl Harrell beats (16) Derrick Jones Jr. 71-66 in the quarterfinals of the NBA 2K tournament, advancing to face (5) Devin Booker in the semis
Farbod Esnaashari: Montrezl Harrell and Derrick Jones Jr just showed more sportsmanship I’ve ever seen during an online game in my life. Jones: “Good game bro.” Trez: “Great game bro.” Jones: “Good luck in the next round.”
When a wave of bets were placed on 16th-seeded Miami Heat forward Derrick Jones to beat top-seeded Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant, which he did 78-62 on Friday, it became clear that those placing bets knew something. “We initially made Durant the favorite to win the tournament but when …. the bets were completely one-sided toward Jones, it became obvious that someone knew the outcome of the game,” said SportsBetting.ag odds manager Robert Cooper, whose company lost a sum in the low five figures on the opening round.
Ira Winderman: NBA today announced this change for NBA2K tournament: Quarterfinals will now air THURSDAY on ESPN2: Rui Hachimura vs. Devin Booker: 7 p.m. Derrick Jones Jr. vs. Montrezl Harrell: 8 p.m. Trae Young vs. Deandre Ayton: 9 p.m. Patrick Beverley vs. Andre Drummond: 10 p.m.
Ira Winderman: Clippers’ Montrezl Harrell destroys Pacers’ Domantas Sabonis in first round of NBA2K players tournament. Will next play Heat’s Derrick Jones Jr. in event’s single-elimination quarterfinals on Tuesday night on ESPN2. Harrell won today utilizing Clippers. Jones won Friday as Bucks.
That tournament kicked off with four games Friday. Four of the 16 participants moved on, and the results were as follows: No. 16 Derrick Jones Jr. 78, No. 1 Kevin Durant 62. No. 10 DeAndre Ayton 57, No. 7 Zach LaVine 41. No. 2 Trae Young 101, No. 15 Harrison Barnes 59. No. 14 Patrick Beverley 84, No. 3 Hassan Whiteside 54. With one day of games in the books, here are our biggest takeaways from the NBA’s attempt to provide fans with some sort of live content while actual games remain on hiatus.
Kevin Durant, the top seed in the tournament, was upset by No. 16 seed Derrick Jones Jr. Their matchup was the kickoff and marquee showdown broadcast on ESPN, a partnership with the league and NBA 2K — the popular basketball video game — occupying the space that prior to the coronavirus pandemic and suspension of the NBA season would be showing Friday night contests. Seeding for the 16-player, two-week tournament was based on players’ NBA 2K rating. If players’ ratings were the same, the higher seed was given to the player with the longer NBA tenure. That left Jones, 23, with the No. 16 seed, tied with Harrison Barnes for a 78 rating. But, playing as the Milwaukee Bucks, he took control of the contest with Durant (owner of a 96 rating, even though he has not played a game this season as he recovers from an Achilles injury), who was playing as the Los Angeles Clippers. “I scored at will, but I couldn’t stop nothing,” Durant said after his 78-62 loss to the 2020 Slam Dunk Contest champion.
Ira Winderman: Derrick Jones Jr. advances in NBA2K tournament, takes down Kevin Durant 78-62 in opener of 16-player bracket. Jones won utilizing the Bucks as his team of choice in the ESPN broadcast.
The Bulls have been putting both point guard Goran Dragic and small forward Derrick Jones Jr. under the microscope the last month, and are hoping the new hire – or hires – will be aggressive on the trade front to move a tight cap corner that they have painted themselves into.
Anthony Chiang: Derrick Jones Jr. said he hasn’t thought much about his impending free agency yet. He’s set to become a free agent this summer. “I want to be in Miami,” Jones said.
The Heat are now projected to have cap space after their big trade with the Memphis Grizzlies. Prior to the deadline, the Grizzlies were projected to have $52.8 million available, but instead transferred a large portion of it to the Heat by taking on Dion Waiters and James Johnson in order to acquire Justise Winslow. The Heat are projected to generate $26.5 million in cap space assuming Kelly Olynyk opts-in and they hold onto Derrick Jones Jr.‘s bird rights. With their eyes set on 2021 maximum cap space, they are unlikely to offer free-agent targets more than a one-year deal.
Ethan J. Skolnick: Derrick Jones Jr. on the controversy: “I laugh at it… y’all gonna have to see me again.” @5ReasonsSports youtube.com/channel/UC1HgR…
Not even now that he’s a slam-dunk champion. Not even after signing a new endorsement deal over the weekend with Puma, which also inked a deal with Heat rookie Kendrick Nunn. The only things Jones Jr. is changing are people’s perceptions that dunking is all there is in his game. Jones Jr., the Heat’s high-flying forward who turned 23 on the night he soared over teammate Bam Adebayo and others on his way to his first dunk title, something he longed to win ever since coming up short in the competition in 2017, isn’t preoccupied with what the critics say.
Jones Jr. signing with Puma should also help with his reputation — not to mention his footwear choices on a daily basis. “It helps me with shoes because I really don’t have to buy any shoes anymore,” Jones Jr. said. “I don’t have to worry about what I’m going to wear. I had a lot of Pumas already, but now I just can grab anything that has Puma on it.”
But has the increased attention stemming from Saturday night’s memorable victory over Aaron Gordon of the Orlando Magic changed Jones Jr.? “Man, he walked in and didn’t say nothing to me this morning,” Jimmy Butler joked. “Nah, he’s the same dude. He’s always going to be like that. And I know him: If he goes to the dunk contest next year, he’ll win it again.”
Barry Jackson: Heat rules out Leonard and Herro for seventh game in row tomorrow. Derrick Jones, who played last night amid illness and shin injury, not on injury report. Now back to Wade celebration.
Derrick Jones signs deal with Puma
With nearly 6.5 million viewers tuned in to an epic dunk-off between Aaron Gordon and Derrick Jones Jr., the 2020 slam dunk contest helped launch each player not only to new heights on the hardwood, but also in the marketing world. In the aftermath of his narrowly claimed slam dunk contest win, Jones signed a multiyear footwear and apparel endorsement deal with Puma, adding the 6-foot-6 high-flyer to a select group of NBA and WNBA athlete partners with the company.
Jones wore a white and pink Puma Clyde Hardwood sneaker to sync with the Heat’s colorful “Vice Nights” jerseys in the contest, while showcasing a variety of between-the-legs and windmill dunks. The brand offered him the endorsement deal shortly after he carried home the trophy on All-Star Saturday Night, which coincided with his 23rd birthday. “This is a day that I’m going to tell my kids [about],” he said.
Amid the controversial yet inconsequential finish of the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest, the league veered from the rules to determine Saturday’s winner. Instead of letting the judges vote for either Orlando’s Aaron Gordon or Miami’s Derrick Jones Jr. after the first dunk of the dunk-off in the final round, the NBA allowed Gordon and Jones to attempt a second dunk-off dunk, which isn’t in the rules.
But because Gordon and Jones were putting on a show, the league decided to add another dunk to the dunk-off. And that’s where Jones edged Gordon 48-47 for the title. “With Derrick and Aaron displaying such extraordinary creativity and execution, giving the fans another round of dunks from these two incredible athletes was the appropriate way to break the tie,” NBA senior vice president of league operations communications Tim Frank told USA TODAY Sports.
What should have happened, according to the original rules: After Gordon and Jones were tied after the one-dunk dunk-off, the five judges (Scottie Pippen, Dwyane Wade, Candace Parker, Common and Chadwick Boseman) should have selected their winner and the player with the most votes named the dunk champion.
Malika Andrews: Derrick Jones Jr. said that he expected the judges to make it so there would have been a third “dunk off” round after Aaron Gordon dinked over Tacko Fall: “He clipped Tacko’s head, so they couldn’t give him a 50. I expected them to give him a 48 so we could go again.”
Andre Iguodala: The right guy won…. Kenny wasn’t behind the judges table….
Jorge Sierra: No dunk titles for Gordon, but he will get a lot of sympathy out of this. That’s worth something. Nikola Vucevic: That’s worth nothing when you get robbed twice
