Derrick Jones Jr. declines his player option to become an unrestricted free agent

This is certainly a curve ball for the Bulls after Jones initially declared he was staying.

© Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Athletic forward Derrick Jones Jr. has declined his player option worth $3.3 million to become an unrestricted free agent. This development is a curve ball for the Chicago Bulls, especially after declaring back in April that he was going to return to the team.

Chicago Bulls forward Derrick Jones Jr. is declining his $3.3 million player option for the 2023-24 season and entering unrestricted free agency, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 21, 2023

Unexpected move

A lot of things can change quickly in the NBA. And apparently, the UNLV product thought long and hard about the direction of his career and pivoted to unrestricted free agency. However, back in April, the former slam dunk champion sounded determined about his return to the Bulls.

"Like I told Coach (Billy Donovan) and everybody else, I'm locked in for two years. I didn't sign for two years for no reason. So I'm here for two years," Jones said then. "I just gotta sit down with my agent and talk to him, figure things out. But I don't see why not. I got no other plans, yet."

An excellent part of Chicago's defense

Jones did not play a lot of minutes, but whenever he was on the floor, he provided a major boost to the Bulls' defensive efforts. A long-limbed forward who could jump out of the gym, Jones was an excellent defender and could cover multiple positions. He also had a knack for making timely blocks in the paint and helping the Bulls generate transition opportunities on the defensive end of the court.