Washington Wizards Guard Tyus Jones Is Floor General They Needed

'Calm' presence from Washington Wizards guard Jones is exactly what they need from him.

The Washington Wizards received guard Tyus Jones in a three team trade this offseason, that highlighted now Boston Celtics forward Kristaps Porzingis, in hopes he could steady the point guard position this year.

So far two games into the Wizards season Jones is averaging 15 points per game, 6.5 assist and shooting 50 percent from three.

READ MORE: Injury Report for Game Against Boston Celtics

"He's essentially a coach on the floor," coach Wes Unseld Jr. had previously said about what Jones' presence for this team would mean. "Being an extension of myself and the coaching staff. But also he can score the ball."

In the home opener against the Memphis Grizzlies, his former team, Jones dished out seven assist without turning the ball over, leading his team to a 113-106 victory.

All love for @1Tyus 💙#ForTheDistrict x @memgrizz pic.twitter.com/Kyr84zxkw0

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) October 29, 2023

"He's just very calm," forward Kyle Kuzma said after Washington's home opener. "I much rather have him with the ball than me with the ball."

Kuzma even mentioned at one point turning to the bench and calling for Jones to come back into the game in the fourth quarter.

Being a calming presence for this young Wizards team is exactly what they need, especially in high pressure moments.

Jones has 13 assist through two games and only 3 turnovers, having a point guard that can take a game over and not turn the ball over down the stretch of a game is essential to winning in the NBA.

"He knows how to get people into their sets," guard Jordan Poole said of Jones."He knows who to call, what plays at what time, when we need timeouts, when we need to get up a shot and how long we got left for time management." 

Washington Wizards guard Tyus Jones (5) shoots the ball while Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin (00) defends in the second quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse / Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Having Jones be there allows other guys like Poole and Kuzma to be aggressive and not have to worry about ball handling while trying to get into spots to score.

You don't stick around the league for eight years without being a professional and bringing something to the table.

READ MORE: Trade for Tyus Jones a Top Underrated Move From Offseason

This is something Jones has been growing into as his career has advanced and now he finally has a chance to run his own team and show the impact he can have as a starter.

"This is what you strive for," Jones said at Washington's media day. "If you're not striving for more responsibilities, I feel like you're in the wrong profession."

The Wizards made a lot of changes this off-season and only time will tell if they pan out, but I like Jones' chances to have a career year and be what this team needs him to be, a floor general.

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You can follow Gage Sheets on Twitter @SheetsG23

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