James Jones leaves Suns for new job

Jones has been named the NBA’s new executive vice president and head of basketball operations. It’s the same role that Joe Dumars held before he left the position to become the Pelicans’ executive VP of basketball operations in April.

Jones’ responsibilities in his new position will include overseeing “development of playing rules and interpretations, conduct and discipline, and policies and procedures relating to the operation of games,” per the league.

“James is widely respected across the NBA for being an inspiring leader and the consummate teammate during his more than 20 years as a highly successful player and team executive,” the NBA’s president of league operations Byron Spruell said in a statement. “With his exceptional relationship-building skills and deep basketball expertise, he is well suited to guide our efforts to shape the current and future direction of the NBA game.”

A three-time NBA champion as a player, Jones had been in the Suns’ front office for the last eight years. He was initially hired as Phoenix’s vice president of basketball operations in 2017, but quickly rose up the ranks to become co-general manager in October of 2018. He was later named the Suns’ lone GM in 2019 and had been the head of basketball operations for the team since then, until he was replaced by Brian Gregory this spring.

At the time of Gregory’s promotion, reporting indicated that Jones was transitioning to become a senior advisor for the Suns. However, typically when a head of basketball operations is moved out of that top role, it’s a precursor to him leaving that organization altogether.