Sacramento Kings Season In Review: Damian Jones
Apr 26, 2022, 1:21 PM | Updated: 1:41 pm
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 19: Damian Jones #30 of the Sacramento Kings dribbles up the court against the San Antonio Spurs at Golden 1 Center on December 19, 2021 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kavin Mistry/Getty Images)
(Photo by Kavin Mistry/Getty Images)
Four years into Damian Jones’ career, the big man had secured two rings with the Golden State Warriors while playing just 1,471 minutes over 104 games.
Whether it was during his time with the Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, or Los Angeles Lakers, the 6’11 center often found himself on the outside looking in when it came to rotations and playing time.
In April of 2021, Jones inked a 10-day deal with the Sacramento Kings. Since then, everything has changed.
With center Hassan Whiteside sidelined for the final 12 games of the season, Jones acted as Richuan Holmes’ backup for the closing stretch of the year.
After finishing the 2020-21 season averaging career-highs in points per game (6.9), rebounds per game (4.5), and blocks per game (1.0) over 17 games with the Kings, general manager Monte McNair signed Jones to a contract for the 2021-22 season.
Jones opened up the 2021-22 season buried in the rotation behind the likes of Holmes, veteran center Alex Len, and the recently-acquired Tristan Thompson, logging DNP-CD’s in the 16 of Sacramento’s first 26 games.
Then-interim head coach Alvin Gentry decided to move Jones into the rotation on December 11th, playing the Vanderbilt product for an average of 18.3 minutes per contest over the next two months of play.
From December 11th through February 8th, Jones mostly came off of the bench in a reserve role while posting averages of 7.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game on 62-percent shooting from the field and 33-percent from beyond the arc.
Jones’ range was on display early in 2021-22 as the big man made it clear that he possessed the ability to stretch the floor. Over the first 57 games of the season, Jones shot 35% from the three-point line and 63-percent from the field.
Although Jones showed plenty of promise during his time as a reserve, the stunning trade that brought All-Star center Domantas Sabonis to the 916 resulted in Holmes being moved into a reserve role, Thompson off of the roster and Len into the third-string role.
Jones’ playing time was scarce in the days following the Sabonis trade, but once Holmes was sidelined for injury and personal reasons, Gentry gave the center another crack at the rotation.
This time, Jones would not relinquish any playing opportunities.
Back in a familiar reserve role, Jones provided the Kings with a solid bench presence that was active on both ends of the floor, especially the offensive end as a lob threat that can also stretch the floor.
When Sabonis went down with a knee injury on March 20th, Jones got his first true chance to be an NBA team’s starting center for more than a brief, fill-in scenario.
During Sacramento’s final nine games of the season, we saw a side of Jones that will surely have general managers from around the NBA on alert once free agency opens up this summer.
In nine games as Sacramento’s starting center, Jones looked like a starting-caliber big man:
- 17.0 PTS
- 7.0 REB
- 2.0 AST
- 1.6 BLK
- 72% FG
- 44% 3PT
- 29.7 MIN
Not only was Jones as efficient as you can be on the offensive end, but his defense also took a step forward as the 26-year-old racked up 14 blocked shots during the final nine games of play.
Jones’ performance against the Houston Rockets on April 1st was no joke (little April Fools pun for you), as the center etched his name into the Sacramento Kings history books.
After scoring 17 points, corralling 17 rebounds, and swatting six shots, Jones became just the second Kings player in franchise history (since 1946) to finish a single game with 17+ points, 17+ rebounds, and 6+ blocked shots.
The only other occurrence was when DeMarcus Cousins exploded for 24 points, 21, rebounds, 10 assists, and six blocks back on April 1, 2015, against–you guessed it–the Houston Rockets.
When looking at Jones’ entire season of work, it’s hard to argue against the fact that the center is better suited for a starting–if not expanded–role:
- As a starter (15 games): 14.3 PTS, 6.1 REB, 1.1 BLK, 73% FG, 33%, 27.4 MIN
- As a reserve (41 games): 5.8 PTS, 3.8 REB, 0.7 BLK, 60% FG, 35% 3PT, 14.8 MIN
Will Damian Jones Return in 2022-23?
Jones’ red-hot stretch of play couldn’t have come at a better time for the veteran center as he will enter unrestricted free agency this summer.
Unfortunately for those hoping Jones returns next season, it’s unlikely that the team will look to bring another center in as long as Domantas Sabonis, Richaun Holmes, Alex Len and Neemias Queta remain in the fold.
Of course, it is known that the Kings will look to move Homes and the remaining three years, $36 million on his contract. If Sacramento can move Holmes, it makes plenty of sense to try and bring Jones back to be the true backup to Sabonis.
Jones is sure to have other suitors, though, as his impressive closing stretch of the season likely piqued the interest of teams that will be in the market for depth at the center position.
Personally, I would expect the Kings to trade Holmes and extend a multi-year offer to Jones this summer.
If other teams offer Jones more money, McNair will likely let the big man walk as there are certainly more pressing matters to tend to this offseason, such as rostering more shooting at all positions and depth at both the starting and bench power forward slots.
