Lakers in pursue of Memphis Grizzlies Star that serves as back up for Ja Morant
The Los Angeles Lakers are being urged to pursue Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant’s backup in free agency this summer.
In a June 9 column, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley named Tyus Jones as a player the Lakers should target this offseason. The Duke product becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.
“For a point guard to play in L.A., that player must be trustworthy enough to justify taking the ball out of LeBron’s hands,” Buckley wrote. “Tyus Jones has earned that level of trust with the astronomic gap between his assists (career 3.7 per game) and his turnovers (0.7). The ball control is what first gets him noticed, though that alone shouldn’t tempt teams into overpaying him. The rest of his subtly impressive stats don’t appear like bank-breakers, either.”
Lakers in pursue of Memphis Grizzlies Star that serves as back up for Ja Morant
Jones appeared in 73 games for the Grizzlies in 2021-22. He averaged 8.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists while shooting 45.1% from the field, 39.0% from beyond the arc and 81.8% from the free-throw line.
Jones started 23 games for the Grizzlies in 2021-22. He averaged 12.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 6.6 assists and had 151 assists and only 23 turnovers when he started in place of Morant, who missed 25 games due to an injury.
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“Since he has yet to average even 23 minutes in a season, no part of his stat sheet jumps off the page, but the Lakers should still be drawn to his numbers,” Buckley wrote about Jones. “He just hit a slew of personal bests this past season (including 8.7 points and 39 percent three-point shooting), and if L.A. thinks his game is still growing, it can pay for his production now and count any potential he realizes as profit.”
Jones made $7.6 million in 2021-22. He signed a three-year, $26.4 million offer sheet with the Grizzlies in the summer of 2019 and the Minnesota Timberwolves chose not to match the contract. The 26-year-old has career averages of 6.2 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 455 games with the Timberwolves and Grizzlies.
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