LAS VEGAS, NV — The LA Clippers were forced to move quickly this summer with the news that Paul George would be departing in free agency for the Philadelphia 76ers. With their first official move of the 2024 offseason, the Clippers picked up Derrick Jones Jr., formerly with the Dallas Mavericks.
Jones Jr. is coming off an NBA Finals appearance, where his Mavs fell to the eventual NBA Champion Boston Celtics in five games. Initially expected to return to Dallas, Jones Jr. quickly pivoted and became the Clippers' first major signing in free agency.
“I talked to the ownership and front office and coaching staff,” Derrick Jones Jr. said in his introductory press conference. “The route that they was willing to go to was towards me and having me come in there and fill that three-four role, be aggressive offensively, and be who I am defensively. Go out there and try to bring a championship back.”
Clippers add elite defender
Derrick Jones Jr. had a career year with the Mavericks last season, averaging 8.6 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 34.3 percent from three. Jones upped those numbers a bit in the playoffs, averaging 9.1 points and shooting 36.9 percent from three.
His calling card, however, was his staunch defense. Jones Jr. was an elite one-on-one defender last year, and he even called himself the best in the league against ball-handlers.
“Yeah, [I was] No. 1,” Jones Jr. replied when asked about the ball-handler defense stat. “That’s what I’m gonna bring from day one. For me, I’ve always been like that since I was a kid. Growing up, I always played up, I always played older guys. In order to play against older players, you gotta be able to do something good. I was a good defender and I was athletic when I was young, so I always stuck with that and played defense. Got to the league and found my niche.”
Derrick Jones Jr. was expected to re-sign with the Dallas Mavericks, but as free agency grew near, doubt began to set in as to whether a deal could actually be reached. The reason? The league's new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Jones Jr. switched agencies on June 26, 2024 — just four days before the start of free agency — joining Rich Paul and Klutch Sports. Unfortunately, that also triggered a mandated 15-day waiting period between when a player officially ends their contracts with their former representation and signs an NBA contract with the new one.
With uncertainty and the fear of missing out on potential free agents very much a concern, the Mavs moved forward on deals with Naji Marshall as well as a sign-and-trade agreement for Klay Thompson. That's around the same time the Clippers put in the call.
“Damn near the first day of free agency [is when the Clippers became a reality]. Dallas, they moved in a different direction. They signed somebody else, so I was ready to move on.”
Jones Jr. drew the tough task of defending guys like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, and Paul George during the opening round of the NBA playoffs. Needless to say, Jones Jr. put the straps on.
According to NBA.com/stats, Jones Jr. held George to just 10-of-24 shooting during their six-game playoff series. He also held Gilgeous-Alexander to 9-of-24 shooting during their six-game series and Anthony Edwards to 12-of-26 shooting during their five-game series.
“I gotta go out there and be who I am. Defensively, when I was with the Mavs, I was on-ball, best defender, guarding the best player every night. That’s one thing that I took pride in. I told them every time that I want the best player, so they put me with the best and I’m gonna do my best.”
No replacing Paul George
In the same offseason in which they lost Paul George, the Clippers added Derrick Jones Jr., Nicolas Batum, and Kris Dunn to the roster, signaling more of a team-wide approach to defense as opposed to leaning on Kawhi Leonard for it throughout the regular season.
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Jones Jr. hasn't had a chance to speak with Leonard or James Harden yet, but expects to see a lot of open looks playing alongside the Clippers stars.
“They’re both future Hall of Famers,” Jones added. “Elite offensively. James [Harden] has become a better defender, and Kawhi [Leonard] has always been who he is on the defensive end. That’s one person who I’m gonna pick his brain on the defensive end. Whenever I can get in the lab with them, I’m gonna be there.”
As the organization shifts away from the “213” era of basketball, there isn't even a thought as to how the new guys will replace what Paul George brought to the team these last few years.
“We’re not even making it like that,” Jones said. “He chose to go to a different team and I chose to come over here. The guys that chose to come over here chose to come over here. It’s a business at the end of the day. Ain’t no hard feelings. I never played with PG, so I don’t know how he is as a teammate so I can’t speak on that. But, like I said, the guys that’s in here now, we’re gonna come in and be aggressive and do what we gotta do and, like I said, try to bring back a championship.”
Derrick Jones Jr. is expected to slide into the Clippers starting lineup and start alongside Kawhi Leonard and Ivica Zubac in the frontcourt. His willingness to defend the opposing team's best player and the ability to knock down open shots is expected to lift some of the weight from Leonard and Harden throughout the regular season.
Oh, and if you were wondering, Derrick Jones Jr. actually has a favorite nickname.
“‘Airplane Mode.' Or ‘DJ.' It don’t really matter. ‘Flight 55,' for now. Whatever they decide to call me. Just not DJJ. Just not DJJ.”
