WATCH: Mavs Newly-Signed Derrick Jones Jr. Highlights

Derrick Jones Jr. might not put up big numbers for the Dallas Mavericks, but his solid defense and electrifying dunks should have MFFLs on their feet all season long.

When the Dallas Mavericks missed the playoffs last season, they knew it wasn’t because of the play Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. The superstar duo put up spectacular numbers together, but nagging injuries and a lack of overall team depth led to Dallas slipping outside the Play-In Tournament range.

Heading into the offseason, the Mavs’ No. 1 priority was crystal clear: re-sign Irving. They were able to accomplish that goal quickly on the first day of free agency by signing Irving to a three-year, $126 million deal. From there, GM Nico Harrison’s next goal was to add sufficient depth around his star duo, and so far, he’s done just that.

The Mavs started off the summer by making two draft-night trades that netted them Dereck Lively II, OMax Prosper and veteran center Richaun Holmes. Next, the team signed Seth Curry in free agency, then executed a sign-and-trade with the Boston Celtics to get Grant Williams. And finally, Dallas made a couple of value signings on the margins, including former Utah Jazz top-5 pick Dante Exum, and most recently, former Chicago Bulls high-flyer Derrick Jones Jr.

Jones isn’t known for putting up big numbers, as he averaged just 5.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in 15.6 minutes per game through two seasons with the Bulls. However, he is an effective perimeter defender, roll man on offense, and his advanced stats show what kind of impact he could have in Dallas if given enough opportunity.

Per 100 possessions, Jones had averages of 17.4 points, 8.3 blocks, 1.6 steals and 2.0 blocks for Chicago last season. He also had an offensive rating of 122 and a defensive rating of 112. Offensive and defensive ratings can be more team-related stats than anything else, but it’s obvious that Jones had an impact for the Bulls when he was on the floor, and the Mavs will hope that translates to his time in Dallas as well.

Aside from his defense, Jones is known for his jaw-dropping highlight dunks, whether it’s during a fast break opportunity or a put-back after an offensive rebound. You can watch all of Jones’ highlight dunks from the 2022-23 season below:

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