When called upon, Derrick Jones Jr. delivered for the Chicago Bulls despite receiving inconsistent minutes.
As the NBA Playoffs roll on, the Chicago Bulls and their fans are left watching from home. As we reflect on the 2022-23 season here at On Tap Sports Net, we're handing out report cards for each Bulls player. Andre Drummond kicked things off, and forward Derrick Jones Jr. is up next.
When called upon, Jones Jr. was always ready to enter the game to provide energy. However, it seemed to be a struggle for him to find a rhythm due to his inconsistent minutes.
On the season, Jones Jr. averaged 5 PPG and 2.4 RPG. He shot 50 percent from the field, 33 percent from downtown, and 74 percent from the charity stripe. While his averages don't jump off the page, the UNLV product stepped up several times when the Bulls needed a spark.
Head coach Billy Donovan would typically turn to Jones Jr. off of the bench to come in and provide some energy. The 26-year-old has always excelled on the defensive end. His active hands and defensive IQ led to points on the offensive end. His ability to help create turnovers and force bad shots proved to be paramount in some of Chicago's biggest wins this season.
Jones Jr.'s stats per 36 minutes show how active he was on defense. If he were to play starter minutes, he would have averaged 1.5 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. That's more than what the Bulls would have received out of their 2020 fourth-overall selection Patrick Williams, per his per 36. (That was an unnecessary shot, I know.)
At the end of the day, what keeps Jones Jr. on the bench is his limited offensive game. But through defense and hustle, he is still able to break the rotation.
Final Grade: B
I decided to give Jones Jr. a B. Again, it's hard to find a rhythm when you aren't getting consistent playing time. In this case, we are grading him on his effort and contributions in an underappreciated aspect of the game.
Expect Derrick Jones Jr. to return to the Bulls next season as he plans to pick up his 2023-24 player option.
More must-reads: