OKC Thunder Rookie Dillon Jones Changes Narrative at NBA Summer League

The Oklahoma City Thunder might need to find minutes for Dillon Jones following his NBA Summer League stint.

Dillon Jones speaks during an introductory press conference for the 2024 Thunder draft picks at Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center in Oklahoma City, Saturday, June, 29, 2024. / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY

When the Oklahoma City Thunder swapped five future second-round picks for an additional first-round selection in the 2024 NBA Draft, grabbing Weber State guard Dillon Jones with pick No. 26, it felt easy to cast it aside.

After all, the Thunder are fresh off a 67-win season with the addition of Alex Caruso in hand and just days away from adding Isaiah Hartenstein on the free agent market - their largest signing in franchise history - while running a ten deep rotation a year ago that did not shrink with their offseason moves.

How would a mid-major rookie crack Mark Daigneault's rotation in year one? The Thunder have the G League infrastructure to foster development, fresh off a G League Championship, surely Jones would be stashed on the farm for a later date.

However, at NBA Summer League it became clear through five games, Jones is ready right away. Perhaps ready for Oklahoma City just means playing once or twice a week in short spurts, but should something happen to fracture the rotational depth in Bricktown, the Weber State rookie has proven he will be able to fill in the gaps.

In five Summer League games, Jones averaged 13 points, four assists, seven rebounds and a steal per game. All this on 40 percent shooting from the floor 29 percent from deep and 66 percent from the charity stripe.

Playing with limited NBA-caliber players around him, Jones shined on the defensive end and created shots for himself and others that did not always get reflected in the box score. Jones showed the poise and command needed to contribute right away, especially in a possible pinch during the course of an 82-game marathon season.

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