How Big Will Wizards Guard Tyus Jones' Role Be?
The Washington Wizards are going to look quite different than they did last season with guard Bradley Beal and forward Kristaps Porzingis out and several new faces in.
One of them, guard Tyus Jones, will be getting his first opportunity to be a true starter in the NBA joining the Wizards from the Memphis Grizzlies where he spent the past four seasons as one of the most reliable bench players in the association.
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"Obviously people look at his game and you see the assist-to-turnover ratio and the guys never averaged over one turnover per game - hopefully keep it that way," Washington general manager Will Dawkins said about his new guard. "But he just sees the game from an advanced processing perspective. He's a committed athlete to the team and that's something we really really want. I think when you watched him in the moments when he got the opportunity to start in Memphis you saw the capabilities that he had and we're going to put the ball in his hands a lot more, allow him to make decisions, we'll challenge him to continue being a pest defensively, but also take the young guys under his wing - which he's already started doing."
His assist-to-turnover ratio is one of the biggest things that stands out about Jones' play at first glance.
But the Wizards are looking for more out of their guard, including sustained availability as one of just 20 who has played 500 or more games since he entered the league in 2015.
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Among that crowd, Jones is top 10 in assist percentage and fifth in assists, fourth in steals, and second in turnovers per 48 minutes.
Jones isn't the acquisition most are discussing with the arrival of guard Jordan Poole, but he may turn out to be one of the most important if Dawkins' vision for him becomes reality.
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