Derrick Jones Jr. could become one of the names to watch as the Los Angeles Clippers try to clean up their roster before training camp.
Speaking on the Clutch Scoops podcast, Brett Siegel said the Clippers are dealing with a roster crunch and are expected to look for salary-clearing moves before the season begins.
"They have a roster crunch at this point," Siegel said. "They're going to be looking to dump some salary between now and training camp and start of the season."
That is where Jones' name came up.
"We know that Derrick Jones Jr. is available in trade talks there for the Clippers," Siegel said.
Jones became movable despite strong Clippers role
Jones, 29, averaged 10.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists over 50 games last season.
That production makes Jones more than just a deep-bench salary piece. He has been a regular rotation forward who can defend, finish in transition, and provide athleticism on the wing.
Jones has built a long NBA career after going undrafted out of UNLV.
Before entering the NBA, he played one season at UNLV in 2015-16, averaging 11.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 30 games.
His career path has included stops with the Phoenix Suns, Miami Heat, Portland Trail Blazers, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, and Clippers.
His most notable breakthrough came in Dallas, where he became a key starter on a Finals-level team.
During the 2023-24 season with the Mavericks, Jones appeared in 76 games, starting 66 of them, and averaged a career-high 8.6 points with 3.3 rebounds in 23.5 minutes. He also shot 38.8% from three-point range.
In the 2024 playoffs, Jones started all 22 Dallas games and averaged 9.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 29.4 minutes.