Getting a fresh start, Dillon Jones didn’t let the all-time high of a championship cloud his self-awareness. The 23-year-old understands that he’s still a ways away from establishing himself as an NBA player. He hopes to do that on the Washington Wizards.
Soon after walking around downtown OKC in a championship parade, Jones was dealt to the Wizards. The trade turned out to be a salary dump for the Oklahoma City Thunder. They needed to create a roster spot for Thomas Sorber and did so by trading Jones.
In total, the Thunder spent six future second-round picks in Jones’s short tenure. They traded five second-round picks to the New York Knicks to grab him with the No. 26 pick of the 2024 NBA draft and attached another to send him to the Wizards. The good news is, OKC can afford to take those swings with such a deep draft pick haul.
It was a forgettable first year for Jones. He seldom played for the Thunder and spent most of his time on the G League’s OKC Blue. Reading the room, the 23-year-old likely knew he wouldn’t get much playing time next season either. Instead, he was dealt to a rebuild situation, where he hopes to get more NBA minutes.
But first, Jones must secure a roster spot. He eventually did that with the Wizards. A strong Summer League finale likely helped his case. He finished with 25 points on 8-of-13 shooting, 11 rebounds and three assists in a 94-85 win over the Knicks. He shot 2-of-3 from 3 and went 7-of-9 on free throws.
Jones understands that the equity of a ring won’t buy you much at your next stop. If he wants to carve a spot in the Wizards’ rotation, he must be a consistent player. The 23-year-old has shown flashes of being a playmaking small-ball forward, but must sharpen an outside shot to stay on the court.
One of Jones’ supporters is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The MVP took to his Instagram story to show his love for his former teammate. Even though they only spent one year together, the duo could always be seen working together at practice and shootaround.
“In due time young,” Gilgeous-Alexander wrote as he posted Jones’ statline.
Gilgeous-Alexander took Jones under his wing during his rookie season. That much was obvious. And if anybody knows what it’s like to deal with being traded after their first year, it’s the former. He was part of the 2019 Paul George trade.
Jones hopes to have his own definition of success with the Wizards. There are only so many chances you get in the NBA to be a role player. He must take advantage of his new spot and apply the lessons he learned from being on an NBA champion and working with one of the league’s best players on a daily basis for nearly nine months.