Chicago’s status as a middling team with abundant guard depth has created a situation where the Bulls may be active sellers at the trade deadline.
The Timberwolves could be on the other end of the deal.
Coby White is the name that garners the most attention, as he’s the most prolific scorer seemingly available of the Bulls’ bench. But Ayo Dosunmu’s versatility and reliability is also intriguing.
And then there’s another name that’s recently entered the fold — Tre Jones.
Minnesota has been linked to all three players recently by the Chicago Sun-Times. Jones is a name with which local basketball fans are quite familiar, given his high school dominance at Apple Valley.
And, frankly, the player Jones was while donning an Eagles jersey somewhat closely resembles who he’s been for Chicago in recent weeks.
In a win Tuesday over the Clippers, Jones recorded 15 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds. Two days prior, he had 10 points and 10 assists in a win over Brooklyn. He had four steals last week in a win over Utah.
Over his last 18 games heading into Thursday’s tilt in Minnesota, Jones was averaging 12.3 points and 6.8 assists per game while shooting 39% from distance. Those are numbers any team would be attracted to, but especially the Wolves, who could use one more two-way player in their rotation, particularly at the guard spot.
Frankly, on a team where the point guard spot is in flux in the near and long term, Jones is intriguing. While not an identical player, his ability to impact both ends of the floor more closely resembles the impact Nickeil Alexander-Walker had for Minnesota off the bench than anyone currently on the roster can provide.
He’s also ascending. The 26 year old hit his stride the moment he landed in Chicago via trade last season. Over his final 12 games with the Bulls before injury ended his season, Jones averaged 14.3 points, 6.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds.
He re-signed with Chicago on a three-year, $24 million deal in the offseason and has proven invaluable for the Bulls while star guard Josh Giddey was out with an injury.
Jones credits part of his current success to what he learned during his first four and a half seasons with the Spurs, about being a professional who’s ready for any opportunity. He learned the value of impacting the game in any minutes you get, regardless of role, as well as the value of culture building.
Chicago’s up-tempo approach has fit Jones like a glove, and the guard lauded Bulls coach Billy Donovan for the belief he’s preached in the point guard, allowing Jones’ confidence to blossom.
That, he noted, is what made everything “click.”
The result is the well-rounded, two-way player those in the Minnesota basketball scene watched grow up locally, and always assumed would reach these heights.
“It’s definitely been a lot of fun to be able to produce on the court like I know how to,” Jones said. “But I think the most joy I get is when we win games. Doesn’t really matter the numbers, I guess. As long as we’re winning, I’m happy. So that’s what sticks out to me.”
Jones admitted he gets a sense of satisfaction from stacking productive years and contracts at the sport’s highest level — evidence that the former second-round draft pick’s work is paying off.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Jones said.
And he only just now seems to be getting started.
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