Tyus Jones is the backup point guard for Ja Morant with the Memphis Grizzlies and it’s looking like he could be the backup point guard option for the New York Knicks as well.
According to New York Post’s Marc Berman, New York will pursue Jones if the team isn’t able to sign Jalen Brunson in free agency. If he and the Dallas Mavericks don’t agree to an extension, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent, and if that happens, he’s expected to sign a contract in the four-year, $80 million range.
The Knicks don’t have a lot of cap space, and to land Brunson, they’d have to make a few moves, which should happen regardless. But in the case Dallas can re-sign him, which Mark Cuban has said is the plan, New York’s eye is on Jones.
Clearly, Brunson is the better option, but Jones is worthy of a starting point guard job in the NBA. As Morant’s backup, he’s performed extremely well. In the 23 games that he started during the regular season, Jones averaged 12.7 points, 6.6 assists, and 3.2 rebounds.
Should the New York Knicks sign Grizzlies point guard Tyus Jones in free agency?
Jones and Brunson are both 25, but not for long. The Memphis guard will turn 26 on Tuesday, May 10, and the Dallas guard’s birthday is in August. But Jones has been in the league since 2015-16, while Brunson was drafted in 2018.
The Duke product hasn’t been a consistent starter during his seven years in the league, starting a career-high 23 games during 2018-19 and this past regular season. That could, and should, change next year, whether it’d be with the Knicks or not.
Jones averaged 8.7 points, 4.4 assists, and 2.4 rebounds during the regular season. He shot 45.1% from the field and 39% from the 3-point line. The most impressive part of his game is his assists-to-turnover ratio. Berman wrote:
"Jones, 25, set an NBA record for best assists-to-turnover ratio this season (7.4 to 1) in 73 games — the fourth straight season in which he has led the league. The central question is whether a career backup can make the jump to starter, and in New York, no less."
That alone should capture the front office’s attention. Not only that, but Jones has gotten the opportunity to be part of the Grizzlies’ rise over the past three years, so he knows what it’s like to play for a successful organization.
If Jones were to become New York’s starting point guard, Immanuel Quickley should be his backup. Many fans believe that Quickley should be handed the keys from the start of the 2022-23 season, but it’s evident that the Knicks are in pursuit of someone else to take over the starting role.
And even if Brunson doesn’t re-sign with the Mavericks, there are other teams that have plenty of cap space to offer him a contract. That’s an advantage that New York doesn’t have, but according to league sources, “Jones could command the full non-taxpayer $10.2 million mid-level exception.” The strapped Knicks could afford that.
As the days and the weeks wear on and New York learns more about Brunson’s plans for the future, more attention could be directed toward Jones. He’s familiar with Tom Thibodeau, having played under him with the Minnesota Timberwolves, so he wouldn’t have to adjust to his system.
If the Knicks sign Jones in free agency, he’d come at a far cheaper price than Brunson, and while fans might be disappointed, it wouldn’t be a bad thing.
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