The Cleveland Cavaliers are reportedly set to acquire big man Damian Jones from the Utah Jazz.
The Jazz are trading center Damian Jones to the Cavaliers, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2023
It is the second move the Cavaliers have made on Saturday after agreeing to acquire sharpshooter Max Strus in a three-team trade involving the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs.
Cleveland has been busy since the start of free agency on Friday, striking agreements with Caris LeVert and Georges Niang. Both of those players as well as Strus will likely play big roles for the Cavaliers this upcoming season.
Over the course of his seven-year NBA career, Jones has averaged 5.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game on 66.2 percent shooting from the field.
He’s a two-time champion, having won both titles with the Golden State Warriors a few years ago. Therefore, he’s gotten a firsthand look at what it takes to win an NBA title, and he’ll surely share all of his wisdom with his new Cavaliers teammates.
Jones is coming off a 2022-23 season in which he played for the Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers. He averaged 3.5 points and 3.0 rebounds per contest while connecting on 64.0 percent of his attempts from the field.
The Cavaliers were recently reported to be seeking a “significant upgrade” in their frontcourt. While this deal might not net Cleveland that significant upgrade, Jones is a nice depth piece to have around.
He’s on a minimum deal for the 2023-24 campaign and will likely take over Robin Lopez’s role from last season. The Cavaliers are still below the luxury tax despite adding Jones’ $2.6 million salary for this season.
This past season, the Cavaliers made it to the playoffs for the first time since LeBron James’ departure to the Lakers in 2018. This year’s playoff trip ended in a five-game series loss to the New York Knicks.
The series pointed out plenty of Cleveland’s flaws, with size and rebounding being among them. At 6-foot-11, Jones adds some size to Cleveland’s frontcourt. The former first-round pick is also a decent rebounder.
Only time will tell what type of impact he has during the upcoming campaign.
