Tyus Jones
If Tyus Jones’ contract had come up before the start of the 2018-19 season, I would’ve said to sell the young guard from Burnsville, Minn. After all, Jones only averaged 5.1 points per game and 2.8 rebounds per game and he didn’t seem to be that big a part of the offense.
Then, this season, Jones proved that he was a keeper.
Stepping up when the Wolves needed him amidst a slew of injuries, Jones recorded a career-high 23 starts. At one point during that stretch, Jones was averaging 10 points and one steal per game and shooting 55 percent from 3.
Those numbers calmed down slightly towards the end of the season, but Jones still finished with 6.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game, all of which are career bests.
With Jones’ court vision and selflessness, he would make a great pairing in the backcourt with Jarrett Culver and could help the guard transition from college ball to the NBA.
Jones is also a headache on defense and if you’re not careful, you could find him going the other way with the ball really quickly.
Much more than just a show of hometown loyalty, although admittedly that does play into this, the Wolves would be smart to keep Jones, who could provide some valuable minutes off the bench, and give veterans like Rose and Teague some rest.
Verdict: Buy