Perry Jones has plenty to prove in fresh start with Celtics
Disappointment has been a constant theme for Perry Jones during his three years in the NBA.
The perpetual frustration dates back to Jones’s draft night in 2012. The former Baylor star was projected to be a lottery pick by most experts in the months leading up to draft night, but questions arose about his health and NBA fit as teams dug deeper into his history. Eventually, Jones’s stock fell significantly, and the Celtics and nearly every other team passed on him before the Oklahoma City Thunder grabbed him with the No. 28 overall pick. Boston elected to take Jared Sullinger and Fab Melo over him with the Nos. 21 and 22 picks.
“I thought I was going to wind up in a lot of places on draft night,’’ Jones said last week in Waltham, “But things don’t work out that way.’’
On a team loaded with talent at the wing, Jones struggled to find consistent opportunities in Oklahoma City. He played in just 143 of a possible 246 games under Scott Brooks, averaging a pedestrian 3.4 points and 1.8 rebounds over 11.7 minutes per game.
Unable to break through into Brooks’s bench rotation on a regular basis, Jones was poised to benefit from a fresh start in OKC after the team hired Billy Donovan this spring as its new head coach.
GM Sam Presti had other ideas though, as he was looking to cut the team’s luxury tax bill after signing Enes Kanter to a $70 million contract last month. Jones was deemed an expendable piece, paving the way for the Celtics to acquire the 6-foot-11 forward for just a conditional second-round pick on July 14.
Danny Ainge also managed to coax a 2019 second-round pick and $1.5 million in cash out of the Thunder to help cover Jones’ $2.04 million salary for next season. Essentially, the Celtics are getting a free look at the wiry 23-year-old. What can Boston fans expect from the lanky forward? First and foremost, it starts with a legitimate chance for Jones to earn minutes, according to Ainge.
“With OKC, there hasn’t been as much of an opportunity for him to play as much as he would like as a youngster on a team trying to compete for a championship,’’ Ainge said as Jones was introduced to the media last week. “But [Jones is] very athletic — a different type of player than we have in the frontcourt right now with his athleticism and length.’’
Unfortunately for Jones, those skills were not in demand on the Thunder roster due to the impressive athleticism of players like Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka, and Russell Westbrook. Jones struggled to stand out from that pack of stars and only had a chance to shine when they went down with injuries.
The hybrid forward did just that at the start of last season, posting a career-high 32 points against the Clippers when Durant was out. After following up that performance by averaging 18 points in his next two games, Jones fell victim to a right knee injury that sidelined him for the next four weeks.
By the time he returned, Durant was back in the starting lineup and Jones’ minutes had mostly dried up. He played in just eight of the final 23 games of the season and only saw double-digit members in four games after February 1st.
“That’s frustrating for anybody,’’ Jones said of the situation, “Especially having those good games and I was feeling good about myself and confident and then things change. I had my injury and everyone came back, things went back to the way they were. It was frustrating, but it has taught me a lot and it’s taught me I can play in this league.’’
Jones does not think the Thunder gave him a fair shake in his three seasons, making him eager to start a new chapter of his career in Boston
“I’m just happy for this fresh new start — new start, new system, different conference — just a whole different new start. Hopefully everything works for the best,’’ he said.
With Boston thin on the wing depth chart behind Jae Crowder and Evan Turner (who started at small forward last year, but is more of a ball-handler), the opportunity will be there for Jones to excel under Brad Stevens. Still, with 17 guaranteed contracts in place on the roster, Jones will have to prove he deserves a spot. In order to do so, he’s willing to provide Stevens with his versatile skillset.
“Whatever they need,’’ Jones said of what he can add to the Celtics. “Mostly athleticism. I haven’t had a chance to showcase that – playing-wise – because of opportunities I had and or didn’t have. One thing I can bring is a lot of athleticism, energy and a lot of passion.’’
Durant can speak to that athleticism, as he called his former teammate the most athletic player in the NBA in May 2014. Outside of rookie Jordan Mickey, there are very few members of the Celtics frontcourt you could characterize as athletic, giving Jones a potential edge over his teammates. Still, that type of ability wasn’t enough to convince the Thunder to keep Jones around and the same may be true for Boston in training camp, since at least two players will be cut or traded.
Jones faces several question marks about his overall game, including his three-point range (29.3 percent in his career). In order to properly fit into Stevens’ pace-and-space offensive scheme, Jones must get more consistent there. He’s also been weak on the glass throughout his career since his 235-pound frame does not fare well against most big men around the league. Jones has to improve there as well if he wants to outlast the competition in what will be a crowded training camp.
Luckily for Jones, there will be no Durants or Ibakas to contend with this year in practices. The small forward will get to make his case for playing time and he’s excited about the chance to show the world what he can do.
“Hopefully I fit in well. I love the people. I feel like I’m being drafted all over again, to be honest. It’s just a great feeling to be here.’’
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