The Dallas Mavericks are waiving veteran point guard Tyus Jones, per Marc Stein of The Stein Line. Stein reported late Friday that the team intended to waive Jones, a move that likely preceded converting Ryan Nembhard to a standard contract. Because the move happened prior to the March 1st deadline for playoff eligibility, Jones can be signed by another team and participate in the postseason.
Jones appeared in eight games for Dallas with two starts. He was acquired at the trade deadline from the Charlotte
Hornets. Dallas sent the Hornets Malaki Branham, who was a piece acquired from the Washington Wizards in the Anthony Davis Trade. The Mavericks were desperate for more playmaking and wanted to take a flyer on Jones. But his short time in Dallas was underwhelming, as he averaged just 3.1 points per game and 2.6 assists in 15 minutes. The Mavericks have had their eye on Jones for a few years, but his size at 6’1 and inability to shoot consistently are a big reason he’s bounced around the league. The Mavericks were his third stop this season.
Jones, who’s older than he looks, is 29. The 11th-year NBA veteran is known across the league for his ability to set up teammates and take care of the ball. He has career averages of 7.3 points, 4.3 assists, and just 0.8 turnovers in 20.7 minutes per game across 738 regular-season appearances for Minnesota, Memphis, Washington, Phoenix, Orlando, and Dallas. He signed a one-year/$7 million deal with the Magic before this season. But his timeline didn’t match up with Cooper Flagg’s. He’s also due to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and dedicating any more cap space to older players doesn’t make sense for the Mavericks.
Ultimately, this isn’t a surprising move as it’s been widely reported that the Mavericks wanted to sign at least one of their two-way players but needed roster space to do so. This move makes the Mavericks younger and provides more cap flexibility, both of which are big wins.
