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Minnesota Timberwolves: Tyus Jones 2016-17 season review

By Dominique Clare

Apr 3, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) drives to the basket as Minnesota Timberwolves guard Tyus Jones (1) defends in the fourth quarter at Target Center. The Timberwolves won 110-109. Mandatory Credit: Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 3, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) drives to the basket as Minnesota Timberwolves guard Tyus Jones (1) defends in the fourth quarter at Target Center. The Timberwolves won 110-109. Mandatory Credit: Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY Sports /
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At times Tyus Jones got lost in the point guard mix for the Minnesota Timberwolves this season. He also showed that the team should not count him out.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have three point guards on their roster that can contribute in the NBA. Tyus Jones received the least amount of minutes of those three guards. After drafting rookie point guard Kris Dunn, the Wolves gave less minutes to Jones. Despite a decrease in minutes, Jones still made a case for himself.

Tyus Jones made the most of the minutes he played. He outperformed Kris Dunn at many points of the season. Dunn received more chances because he was a rookie, but that was a mistake on the Wolves’ part. Dunn’s offensive game is not even close to being as developed as Tyus Jones’ game. Jones is also only 21 years old and is the youngest player on Minnesota’s roster.

This season Jones actually played in more games than his rookie year. He just played less minutes per game than a season ago.

2016-17 Stats

Jones rated as the 10th best player on the team this season.  He contributed to some key wins and played very efficiently with his minutes.

Jones improved all of his shooting percentages over his rookie year. He took better shots and made a higher percentage of them despite a decrease in minutes per game. This is an area that clearly separates him from Dunn. Kris Dunn struggled to shoot the ball during his first NBA season.

Below are Jones’ stats from this season.

Totals Table
SeasonAgeGGSMPFG%3P%2P%FT%TRBASTSTLBLKTOVPTS
2015-161937015.5.359.302.388.7181.32.90.80.10.94.2
2016-172060012.9.414.356.454.7671.12.60.80.10.63.5
Career97013.9.389.333.422.7441.22.70.80.10.73.8

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/26/2017.

Jones had a good assist-to-turnover ratio. With a little more experience he will be able to command the offense and increase that statistic even more. In fact, Jones finished fourth on the team in assists — not too bad for a guy who only played 12.9 minutes a game.

The Timberwolves lack three-point shooting and that is another element that Jones brings to the team. He finished fifth on the team in three-point efficiency, shooting 35.6 percent. With an increased role that number could increase once he has a better feel for the flow of the game.

Role for Tyus Jones heading into next season

Tyus Jones will likely have a similar role next season. Based on his production compared to Kris Dunn and his age, Jones should have an increased role next season. The Minnesota Timberwolves also have the seventh pick in the 2017 NBA draft.

They may surprise everyone with another point guard despite not needing one. In addition, there are rumors floating around regarding the Wolves targeting Derrick Rose in free agency. That kind of move would alter Jones’ role tremendously and put him in a bad situation.

Next: 2017 NBA Mock Draft: Post-Lottery edition

In conclusion, Tyus Jones has a great deal of potential at only 21 years old. The Minnesota Timberwolves would be wise to let him develop into a quality contributing NBA point guard. Despite being undersized, his skill set and athleticism are there. He just needs time and the opportunity.

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