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The offseason moves keep coming for the Suns, this time addressing the backup C spot.
Adrian Wojnarowski announces that the team has inked Hawks C Damian Jones to a two-year deal.
Free agent C Damian Jones has agreed to a two-year deal with the Phoenix Suns, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 22, 2020
It’s debatable whether this can be called a “veteran” signing, as Jones is only 25 years old, but he is a 2x champ from his time with the Warriors. Perhaps he can teach Chris Paul a thing or two about winning.
At 6’11” and sporting a lengthy 7’4” wingspan, Jones is a guy who will protect the rim and freely use all six of his fouls. For his career he averages 1.8 blocks per 36 minutes, but also 5.9 fouls. He can take on a gritty, enforcer role for short periods of time to give players like Ayton and rookie Jalen Smith a break.
On offense, Jones is a dunker and that’s really it. Still, he posted an impressive 71% TS this season with Atlanta, just by rolling to the rim.
It’s unclear at this point where exactly Jones fits into the rotation. Is he Ayton’s primary backup? Or is he more of a third-string option as Dario Saric (who theoretically should be returning) continues to soak up C minutes and Jalen Smith gets worked in?
Either way, this very likely spells the end of Aron Baynes’ tenure in Phoenix.
Watch some basic offensive highlights of Jones attacking the rim below. There’s no question that he’ll love playing off of CP3’s vision.