The Los Angeles Lakers have made plenty of changes this offseason, but there is still one spot in the starting lineup that has yet to be settled. Power forward remains a question after the Lakers missed out on Jonathan Kuminga. But there are still options around the league if they want to make another move. Derrick Jones Jr. could be one of those options to fill the void.
The Perfect Opportunity
Jones is currently under contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, so the Lakers would have to trade for him. There has been no indication that the Clippers are actively trying to move Jones, but ClutchPoints’ Tomer Azarly recently explained that the team could be willing to work with players who want a different opportunity.
“I think sometimes agents see different opportunities around the league to play more, make more money, contend for a championship, potentially, so that could also weigh into it. If they see a better opportunity elsewhere, they’ll approach the Clippers, and the Clippers, in good faith, will try to get them where they want to go.”
That doesn’t mean Jones has asked to be traded. Azarly did not mention that Jones wants to join the Lakers. But there is belief that Jones would prefer to stay in Los Angeles if he were to change teams.
Meanwhile, the Clippers are dealing with issues on and off the court. It has become a situation a veteran like Jones would likely want to get away from for a better opportunity elsewhere.
That could put the Lakers in an interesting position. They have an opening in their starting lineup, and Jones wouldn’t have to leave the city to get a fresh opportunity.
Perimeter Defense
It’s not difficult to see why the Lakers would be interested in Jones. With Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves carrying much of the offense, the Lakers need players around them who can defend and contribute without needing the ball.
Jones has done that throughout his career. At 6-foot-5 with a 7-foot wingspan, he can guard multiple positions and take on some of the tougher perimeter assignments that the Lakers would rather not put on Doncic or Reaves.
He would also give the Lakers another athlete who can run the floor and finish around the basket. Jones isn’t someone who needs plays drawn up for him to have an impact, which could make him a natural fit next to the Lakers’ primary scorers.
There are some drawbacks. Jones isn’t a high-volume 3-point shooter, and at 210 pounds, he could have trouble against some of the league’s bigger power forwards. The Lakers would have to account for both when building lineups around him.
The Obvious Option
For now, Jones is still a Clipper, and there is no indication that a trade is close. A deal would also require the Clippers to be willing to send him to the other team in Los Angeles.
But the Lakers are still looking for an answer at power forward, and Kuminga is no longer available. If Jones eventually decides that he wants a bigger opportunity while staying in Los Angeles, there aren’t many places that would make more sense. The Lakers would be right there.
