Kings sign Damian Jones to 10-day contract, adding size, athleticism to frontcourt
Damian Jones’ days with the Los Angeles Lakers were numbered, but now he will get a new opportunity in Sacramento.
The Kings officially signed the free-agent center to a 10-day contract Wednesday, adding size, athleticism and depth to their frontcourt. Sources told The Bee the Kings were planning to sign Jones last week, but they could not complete the signing until he cleared all NBA COVID-19 testing protocols.
Jones, 25, is a 6-foot-11, 245-pound center who came out of Vanderbilt as the 30th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. He spent three seasons with the Golden State Warriors before bouncing around with the Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns and Lakers.
Jones signed two 10-day contracts with the Lakers in February and March, averaging 5.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in eight games. Jones started six games in place of Marc Gasol while he was out due to health and safety protocols. Jones made 16 of 17 field-goal attempts during his brief stay in Los Angeles, shooting an incredible 94.1% from the field.
The Lakers had to sign Jones for the remainder of the season or release him when his second 10-day contract expired March 21. They chose to let him go and brought in Andre Drummond instead, but coach Frank Vogel liked what Jones had to offer.
“He brings great energy,” Vogel said. “He’s a pogo stick around the basket, so he gives us dynamic verticality with his lob-catching ability offensively, and defensively he’s really picked up what we’re asking him to do in our pick-and-roll defense and our coverages. He provides some length at the basket from a shot-blocking standpoint. He’s played well for us.”
Jones was a member of back-to-back NBA championship teams with the Warriors in 2017-18. Statistically, he had his best season with the Hawks in 2019-20. He appeared in 55 games, including 27 starts, averaging 5.6 points and 3.7 rebounds in 16.1 minutes per game.
This story was originally published April 7, 2021 at 10:07 AM.
