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USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
2024-25 Thunder player grades: Dillon Jones
The calendar has flipped to August, which means we've officially hit the low point of the NBA cycle. The next couple of months are the driest part of the year. Everybody has headed to vacation and awaits training camp to kick off the 2025-26 season. The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to enjoy their NBA championship. They had a historic 68-14 regular-season campaign that eventually led to the franchise's first title with a 2025 NBA Finals Game 7 win. They'll enter next season as a favorite to be a rare repeat winner. To reflect on their title run, Thunder Wire will conduct 2024-25 season grades for all 19 players who suited up for the squad at one point during the year. Fourteenth up is Dillon Jones, who only lasted a season in OKC before being traded to the Washington Wizards: 2024-25 statistics: Advanced stats: Significant Percentile Finishes: Contract: Thoughts: After sending a package of second-round picks to acquire him, Jones' tenure on the Thunder only lasted one season. It's one of the shorter stints of a first-round selection in OKC history. The 23-year-old learned under Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as he hopes to carve out an NBA career elsewhere. It was a forgettable rookie year for Jones. Because the Thunder regularly blew teams out, he was afforded plenty of garbage time. He appeared in 54 games. The tape doesn't show much as he struggled to make a positive impact on the court. Instead, it was filled with avoidable mistakes and slip-ups. The Thunder eyed Jones for a couple of years in the predraft process. Maybe they underestimated his adjustment from Weber State competition to the NBA. There's still time for him to turn it around, but he must figure out how to be effective in a role player capacity rather than being the primary ball-handler he was in college and even in the G League. Jones spent a healthy amount of his rookie season on the OKC Blue. He managed to put up numbers there. You could see the vision of him being a ball-handling tweener who could create off the dribble a little bit. But his ultimate downfall always returned to his poor catch-and-shoot numbers. If Jones wants to stay in the NBA, he must be a better outside shooter and defender. Plain and simple. He didn't show that on the Thunder in his first season. Now, it's about changing that over the offseason. Like most role players, that'll be the swing skills that decide if he can carve out a career. Unfortunately for Jones, that likely wasn't going to happen on the Thunder. The NBA champions are too deep to afford him or anybody else real developmental minutes. They have one of the deepest teams in the league. It was difficult to imagine him getting more minutes in his second season because of it. That likely explains why Jones was traded to the Wizards. The Thunder needed to create a roster spot. He was last on the depth chart. Let's see if he can turn his trajectory around at his new spot, but his short OKC tenure will be pretty forgettable in the big picture. Moving Forward: The Thunder needed to create a roster spot for Thomas Sorber. In a bit of a surprise, that turned out to be Jones. He was salary-dumped to the Wizards. He gets a fresh start on a rebuild that could afford him to learn on the court with low-leverage minutes. Let's see if Jones can take advantage of being in Washington. As said earlier, he must be better from the outside. That will decide how long his NBA career is. Most role players attempt catch-and-shoot looks for their shot diets. Maybe he can sprinkle in a few drives to the basket because of a lack of a primary ball-handler on the Wizards, but that won't make or break his ambitions. Considering how deep their draft pick pockets are, Jones was worth the swing and miss. Five second-round picks might be a lot to give up in quantity, but in quality, the Thunder didn't stomach agreeing to the deal when it happened. The Thunder had hopes that Jones could fit the forward playmaking archetype they had chased over the years. It hasn't happened yet. The low-level NBA production, paired with being an undersized wing, created a bad matchup that hindered the type of career development that could have occurred. Oh well. It happens. The Thunder were still able to have one of the greatest seasons ever despite getting little production from their rookie class. They have enough ammo to afford a few misses on projects they want to take on. It didn't work out with Jones, but that shouldn't discourage their draft process. Results speak for themselves. Final Grade: D
Newsweek
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
How to Watch Grizzlies vs. Thunder: Live Stream NBA Summer League Salt Lake City, TV Channel
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Memphis Grizzlies take on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday in NBA Summer League action out of Salt Lake City, before the more hotly anticipated Las Vegas Summer League begins. Dillon Jones #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder works the ball against Kyle Castlin #30 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the first half of their NBA Summer League game at the Delta Center on July... Dillon Jones #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder works the ball against Kyle Castlin #30 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the first half of their NBA Summer League game at the Delta Center on July 10, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah. More Photo byLikely to feature on the Thunder's Summer League squad this season are 2025 first-round pick Thomas Sorber out of Georgetown, who Oklahoma City drafted 15th overall in the most recent draft. In his one season at Georgetown, Sorber averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 2.0 blocks on 53.2 percent shooting. His two-way abilities should fit in perfectly on a Thunder team so focused on defense. Also likely to feature for Oklahoma City will be 2025 second-round pick Brooks Barnhizer out of Northwestern. How to Watch Grizzlies vs. Thunder Date: Saturday, July 5, 2025 Time: 7:00 p.m. ET Venue: Jon M. Huntsman Center Channel: ESPN U Stream: Fubo (TRY FOR FREE) For the Grizzlies, their Summer League squad will feature the likes of GG Jackson, Jaylen Wells, and Cam Spencer, all of whom have some NBA experience already, including most recently during the 2024-25 season, one that saw Memphis go 48-32 before falling in the first round of the playoffs. Can the Thunder start their Summer League with another win after hoisting the most recent NBA championship? Or will the Grizzlies upset the reigning champs in this exciting Summer League matchup? More important than the wins or losses will be how the team's young players look. Change the channel to ESPN U at 7:00 p.m. ET on Saturday night to catch a sneak peek at the NBA stars of tomorrow as the Grizzlies take on the Thunder in NBA Summer League play out of Salt Lake City. Live stream the Grizzlies vs. Thunder game for free on Fubo: Start your subscription now! Regional restrictions may apply. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Thunder trade NBA champion guard to Wizards
The post Thunder trade NBA champion guard to Wizards appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Oklahoma City Thunder just won their first championship in the Oklahoma-era, but they got right to work with the NBA offseason and free agency period on the horizon. The Thunder's first order of offseason business was a trade with the Washington Wizards involving Dillon Jones, as per Shams Charania of ESPN. Advertisement In addition to Dillon Jones heading to the Wizards, the Thunder also sent a second round pick as part of the trade. On the Wizards' side of things, they will send Colby Jones to the Thunder. The Thunder do not intend to keep Colby on the roster, per Charania. The Thunder trading Jones to the Wizards clears up a roster spot as well as another potential young player that the team had to develop. The Thunder front office has done a good job acquiring draft picks, but at some point those pick have to be made and eventually developed. This trade at least alleviates some of that burden. The team is set up to contend for the foreseeable future with or without this trade. From the Wizards perspective, they add another first round talent to potentially go with their current young core. Jones was the No. 26 overall pick by the Thunder in the 2024 NBA Draft. He didn't see much playing time this season, spending a good portion of his rookie year in the G League with the Oklahoma City Blue. During the regular season, Jones appeared in 54 games, including five starts, at a little over ten minutes per game. He averaged 2.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists with splits of 38.3 percent shooting from the field, 25.4 percent shooting from the three-point line and 60.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line. Advertisement In the G League, Jones appeared in 23 games for the Blue at a little over 32 minutes per game. He averaged 13.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists with splits of 42.2 percent shooting from the field, 29.6 percent shooting from the three-point line and 66.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line. Related: Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander takes hilarious shot at Chris Paul's age Related: Oklahoma City Thunder 2025 NBA Draft grades for each pick
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
OKC Thunder trades Dillon Jones, 2029 second-round pick to Washington Wizards
The OKC Thunder announced Saturday night that it traded Dillon Jones and a 2029 second-round pick (via Houston) to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Colby Jones, who was immediately waived. OKC traded five second-round picks to the New York Knicks for the draft rights to Dillon Jones (No. 26) in 2024. The 23-year-old forward just completed his rookie season with averages of 2.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 54 games. Advertisement Roster spots are becoming harder to earn on the NBA champion Thunder, which is set to bring back all of its rotational players. It also selected Thomas Sorber (No. 15 overall) and Brooks Barnhizer (No. 44 overall) in the 2025 NBA Draft. Dillon Jones is entering Year 2 of a four-year, $13.5 million contract. Colby Jones is set to make $2.2 million this upcoming season with a team option for the 2026-27 campaign, which essentially means he's on an expiring contract. OKC took the shorter deal of the two at the cost of a future second-round pick. OKC moved $9.5 million under the luxury tax with the trade, according to Spotrac contributor Keith Smith. It also freed up a roster spot, which it'll use on Sorber. Barnhizer will be on one of OKC's three two-way contracts, according to ESPN's Jonathan Givony. Pre-order our new book on Thunder's run to NBA title Advertisement More: OKC Thunder introduces 2025 NBA Draft picks: What Thomas Sorber, Brooks Barnhizer said Justin Martinez covers sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at jmartinez@ or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Thunder trades Dillon Jones, 2029 draft pick to Washington Wizards
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA trade grade: Thunder send Dillon Jones to Wizards; open roster spot
Oct 9, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Dillon Jones (3) runs down the court between plays against the Houston Rockets during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Less than a week after they won their first NBA championship, the Oklahoma City Thunder have already shaken up the roster. They sent Dillon Jones and a 2029 second-round pick to the Washington Wizards for Colby Jones. The latter was subsequently waived. The Thunder faced a roster crunch after Thomas Sorber's arrival. Jones got the short end of the stick and was shipped out after just one forgettable year. The 23-year-old gets a fresh start after he barely played in his rookie season. Advertisement Let's break down the Thunder-Wizards trade and the meaning for both sides. At the end, Thunder Wire will assign a final grade on the deal: Why the Thunder made the move The Thunder are the rare NBA champions whose entire roster is on the books for next season. That's great news on the surface. Of course, you'd love to run it back with the same group that got you the Larry O'Brien trophy. But some small consequences do exist. If the Thunder added anybody from the draft to their standard roster, that meant somebody needed to get booted. After they drafted Sorber with the No. 15 pick, it was only a matter of time. Most expected either Jones or Ousmane Dieng. It turned out to be the guy most thought the Thunder would keep because of his novelty. Advertisement Dieng survived this roster crunch. Despite only a year left on his contract, the Thunder stayed with the younger player who's shown more flashes on the NBA and G League court. The 22-year-old has had solid stints, but injuries have hampered him from sticking in the rotation. Meanwhile, Jones struggled from the get-go. The 23-year-old couldn't fit an off-ball role. He put up stats in the G League, but wasn't as dominant and seamless as Dieng. He struggled to keep up with NBA-level athletes and made avoidable mistakes. The Thunder also received some financial breathing room. They waived Jones on a contract that's easier to eat. He only had $2.2 million guaranteed next season. Much less than Jones' $2.8 million guaranteed next season. They are now $7 million below the tax. Why the Wizards made the move At this stage of their rebuild, the Wizards are in player development mode. They have several prospects on their roster and added another in Jones. The Rockets' 2029 second-round draft pick isn't half-bad either and could be used as a trade chip down the road. Advertisement Jones' playing time was only going to dwindle. The Thunder are a title contender with several better options ahead of him. They were enamored by his physical and skill traits at Weber State, but the jump to the NBA didn't land as smoothly as they had hoped. Instead, Jones gets a fresh start on the Wizards. Wizards GM Will Dawkins spent 15 years on the Thunder, so it shouldn't be a shocker to see him like some of their prospects. In Washington, perhaps he can get more on-ball reps than he would've in OKC. Either way, this was worth a shot. Jones is only guaranteed one more year in his rookie deal. He has team options of $2.8 million in 2026-27 and $5.2 million in 2027-28. Worst-case scenario, you can move on from him and only have to give up somebody you weren't going to extend. Final thoughts Sam Presti loved Jones. The small-school forward was on his radar for two years. You can kinda see why. A bowling-ball forward who can playmake and run the offense is an intriguing archetype. But physical limitations, nonexistent shooting and age made it difficult to see him break out in the NBA, much less on OKC. Advertisement The five future second-round picks needed to acquire Jones were a pretty penny to spend, yes. But what's a few bucks to a team sitting on a pretty pile of draft picks? Especially second-round picks. The whole point of hoarding draft picks is to be afforded the luxury to overpay and not feel a hole burned in your wallet. The Thunder dealt six future second-round picks in Jones's one season — five when they traded for him and one attached to trade him away — but who cares? It's a bad trade, sure. But it's not worth losing sleep over. It was easy to predict he wouldn't work out in OKC, but you can't stop taking swings when you're afforded to attempt them. Jones had one of the more forgettable Thunder tenures ever. Seldom do you see OKC pull the plug on first-round players after just one season. But you'd rather see them eat the loss than fall for the sunk cost fallacy. Final Grade: C-minus This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: NBA trade grade: Thunder send Dillon Jones to Wizards
