Although Derrick Jones Jr. did not perform as well as he should have, given that he was Nicolas Batum’s starting lineup replacement in game seven versus the Denver Nuggets, the LA Clippers need an archetype like him, whether they rebuild, starting from the 2027 offseason, or not.
Furthermore, signing Jones Jr. last summer was like striking gold, as he was a standout for the Dallas Mavericks and had some magnificent moments for the Clippers, such as his show-out performance against the Boston Celtics, where he scored nearly 30 points with a clutch steal going coast-to-coast.
However, fans are anticipating Jones Jr. to be in a limited role next season with the arrival of John Collins and Bradley Beal. Collins will be in the forward slot at all times, and sometimes center, but in certain lineups, Lue will use Beal as the small forward with a combination backcourt of James Harden with either Chris Paul, Kris Dunn, or Bogdan Bogdanović.
Moreover, to hold on to the 28-year-old wing long-term, Lawrence Frank must pass over a clever leverage play that works with the strengths of Jones Jr. and his minimal weaknesses. This is a win-win, as the UNLV product was great in the starting lineup throughout 2024-25.
Promising Derrick Jones Jr. a starting role will make him want to sign a mid-season extension with the LA Clippers
If Derrick Jones Jr. starts, John Collins will be the sixth man, and he will surely outperform every bench player in the league with ease. This will increase his value, as his contract expires after the upcoming season, and could significantly benefit the LA Clippers, given how well Jones Jr. dominates with James Harden’s court vision.
In the 2024-25 regular season, Jones Jr. averaged 10.1 points and 3.4 rebounds in 77 games, five games shy of the full 82, with shooting splits of 52.6% from the field and 35.6% from beyond the arc.
Additionally, in 193 minutes of Jones Jr. alongside Harden, Ivica Zubac, Norman Powell (who will be replaced by Bradley Beal), and Kawhi Leonard, they posted an offensive rating of 124.8, a defensive rating of 102.9, and a net rating of 21.8, with a true-shooting percentage of 63.2.
Thus, Jones Jr. aligns closely with the starters. If the front office commits to his game, the veteran wing could remain in Inglewood, California, beyond the next two seasons, albeit at a discounted rate of ten million dollars or less.