Golden State Warriors: 5 takeaways from 2017 NBA Summer League

5. Damian Jones is close to contributing

Damian Jones will eventually contribute to the Golden State Warriors bench, but those contributions might still be a year away. In Summer League play, Jones saw his rebounding average slip significantly compared to his numbers in the G-League last year. He will need to become more consistent in that area in order to solidify minutes for himself.

The Warriors used their 2016 first round draft selection on Damian Jones, who showed promise and signs that his game is developing. Jones was able to average 8.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game during Summer League play.

Standing 7’0″ with a long wingspan, he looked every bit the defensive prospect that the Warriors had hoped for.

Damian Jones did see the court in 10 games for the Golden State Warriors last year, averaging 20 minutes a game in the last two contests. He also spent part of the year playing for Golden State’s G-League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors. It seems likely that he will spend time with both teams in 2018 as well.

Depending on the route the Golden State Warriors choose to go with their last open roster spot, Damian Jones could be thrust into a larger role quicker than expected. Jones does not have the big game experience of a veteran like JaVale McGee, but has potential to provide small relief minutes.