1) A newly-instated rule for 2017-18, players such as Jones, who are on two-way contracts for NBA franchises, are slated to spend the majority of the regular season in the G League (previously known as the D-League). However, they can be promoted to the big-league squad for up to a maximum of 45 days over the entirety of a season.
2) Jones, 24, has one year of professional experience under his belt, earning All D-League third-team honors last season. As a member of the Maine Red Claws in 2016-17, the 6-foot-7 forward averaged 21.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists. He played his final two seasons in college at Texas A&M, after starting his career at SMU.
3) Jones was the third-leading scorer for New Orleans during summer league in July, averaging 13.3 points and 6.2 rebounds. He showed a knack for consistently getting to the basket to score close-range hoops and draw fouls from the defense. In his six games with the summer Pelicans, Jones made a total of 30 trips to the foul line, connecting on 90 percent of his tries (27 of 30).
4) A high-energy and steadily improving player, Jones has been on the radar of NBA teams for multiple years. The Pelicans’ interest in him has been based partly on his excellent work ethic, which helped Jones improve his perimeter shot and overall game each recent year.
5) Jones holds long-term promise as a versatile player position-wise, with the size and athleticism to log minutes at three positions and hold his own defensively.