Suns expected to sign Jumaine Jones...

[Kings113]

Arizona Republic - Jumaine Jones, an unrestricted free agent, is expected to arrive in Phoenix on Wednesday and have a guaranteed one-year contract with the Suns completed by Thursday.

The Suns have had Jones on their radar ever since the free agency season began on July 1st and didn't anticipate him remaining on the market into late August.

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/42066/20060830/suns_expected_to_sign_jumaine_jones/

Finally this guy is going to get a spot somewhere. He'd be solid just about anywhere, but Phoenix and their system is an especially good fit for him. Good shooter, athletic, long, can play PF if needed. Definitely improves their depth, which while improved to a degree last year, still proved to be a weakness.

Nice move by Suns.

 

[Ryle]

I guess it works for Phoenix but they seem to sign the exact same player every time and must have 3/4 of their roster made up of 6' 7" or 6' 8" "tweeners".

 

[Kings113]

Heh, yeah. That's part of their system, small-ball with versatile wing-players.

- Diaw
- Jumaine Jones
- James Jones
- Barbosa
- Bell
- Marion

Man, James Jones is most likely gonna be a third guy now... always liked him since he got time with Indy two seasons ago. Was talk about trading him a couple times recently.

 

[Arby's Roast Beef]

Jones definitely fits their style. His versatility and especially his willingness to hustle and play defense will definitely help them.

 

[walker60]

He fits their style but I don't think he brings anything to the table that other guys on the team already do. I wonder if he'll even play...

 

[Kings113]

Well, he's basically a bigger James Jones (build-wise). Both are athletic team-players that are a 3PT threat. I think Jumaine will get time at SF/PF, James Jones probably gets put out as a third man though. Which is unfortunate because he deserves to play as well. Wonder if he gets dealt like rumored a couple times before.

San Antonio could use James Jones as that athletic swingman they've wanted for some time now. While they have Manu/Barry/Finley/Bowen/Williams already at SG/SF, they could use James Jones as back-up SF/SG to rest Finley/Barry and have them play some less during the regular season.

Official release:

The Phoenix Suns announced today that they have signed free-agent forward Jumaine Jones to a one-year contract.

A 6-8, 230-pound forward, Jones appeared in 76 games last season for the Charlotte Bobcats, scoring a career-best 10.5 points and grabbing 4.9 rebounds per game. In 42 games as a starter, he averaged 13.3 points and 5.7 rebounds, including a career-high 31 point (13-20 FG, 5-8 3FG) outburst versus the L.A. Lakers on February 3. On the year, he recorded eight 20-plus scoring nights and three double-doubles.

Entering his eighth NBA campaign, Jones has made 100 or more three-point field goals in three of the last four seasons, including a career-best 115 trifectas in 2005-06. With a career .350 percentage from three-point territory, Jones has hit on 415-1186 attempts. He poured in a season-high six threes en-route to a 25-point, eight rebound night on March 15 at Washington.

The 27-year-old has appeared in 453 games (115 starts) with Philadelphia, Cleveland, Boston, L.A. Lakers and Charlotte with career averages of 7.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 21.3 minutes.

Jones, who averaged 16.6 points and 9.0 rebounds in 31.7 minutes in two seasons at the University of Georgia, was originally drafted by Atlanta with the 27th overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft, but had his draft rights traded to the 76ers on June 30, 1999.

The Suns roster now stands at 13 and is attached.

The Suns begin the regular season with a pair of nationally televised games at the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 31 on TNT and the Los Angeles Clippers at the US Airways Center on Nov. 1 on ESPN.

http://www.nba.com/suns/news/release_060831.html

Should be two tough, fun opening games for Suns. I hope the Clippers beat Suns.