Heat Derrick Jones Jr. bulks up, and so does his talent.
Wingman has 24 points in summer league opener
Derrick Jones Jr. knew he had to make changes. So the uber-athletic Miami Heat prospect got bulky and got smooth.
The result was an opening performance at summer league that opened eyes to the possibilities for the 21-year-old’s second season with the team.
Already respected for his defense, a component that opened the door to 14 appearances and eight starts after joining the Heat on New Year’s Eve last season, Jones turned his offseason priorities to a more muscled physique and a more efficient shooting stroke.
Then came his first summer-league appearance in a Heat uniform, during the opening game of the California Classic at Golden 1 Center.
The shot was true. The body was stronger.
It added up to a game-high 24-point performance in a 79-68 loss to a similar team of rookies, free agents and young players from the Golden State Warriors.
“He seems a lot more confident,” said guard Derrick Walton Jr., who, like Jones, was with the Heat on a two-way contract last season. “He’s been working pretty hard on his shot and being strong enough to take bumps on his drives.”
The Heat appreciated the strides to the point of signing Jones to a two-year standard contract Sunday, guaranteeing a $1.5 million salary for the coming season. The 6-foot-7 wing then went out and shot 7 of 14 from the field against the Warriors, including 4 of 5 on 3-pointers, adding 11 rebounds.
The 3-point stroke, an essential element for a player whose NBA future could be as a 3-and-D component, was particularly impressive, considering Jones shot just 3 of 16 on 3-pointers last season with the Heat.
“If I get an open shot, I’m not going to pass up on it,” he said. “I worked on my game so much, what’s the point passing up an open shot that I worked on so much? So if I get an open three, I’m taking it.”
Like the Heat’s other returning summer-league players, Jones had returned to the gym well in advance of the Heat’s summer camp that preceded the summerleague opener, working with Heat assistant coach Chris Quinn and team shooting consultant Rob Fodor.
“Coach Quinn, Rob Fodor and all those guys have been working with him, little tweaks here and there, nothing major,” said Heat video coordinator Eric Glass, who is coaching the Heat’s summer-league team. “It’s just repetition, learning how to work, learning how to do things consistently, the standard for our player-development program.”
The commitment produced the desired results with that 4-of-5 3-point efficiency.
“I thought his confidence has been much better because of the work he’s putting in,” Glass said. “He’s putting in a lot of hours. He’s seeing the ball go through the net in the practice games. So it’s a little bit different in the game, too. So this will help him. But he’s got sweat equity and he’s getting confidence from that.”
Walton said the difference is a teammate playing in rhythm.
“He’s trusting the fact that he’s worked on it so hard, that when the ball comes to him, not thinking too much about it and just let it fly,” Walton said.
Then there is the upgrade in Jones’ appearance, now both athletic and strong, as exemplified by a dunk off a timeout in the summerleague opener that drew gasps from the neutral crowd at the home court of the Sacramento Kings.
“I’m lifting every day,” he said. “Getting into the lane, I’m not getting off my path like I was last season.”
Glass also went in with a desire to maximize the opportunities for center Bam Adebayo, the teams’ 2017 first-round draft choice, and did just that. While Adebayo closed 3 of 13 from the field against the Warriors, he also was 8 of 11 from the foul line, closing with a double-double of 14 points and 14 rebounds.
Walton Jr., the only other player from last season’s roster with the Heat during summer league, started alongside Jones and Adebayo but struggled with five points on 1-of-12 shooting. Walton has been extended a qualifying offer by the Heat for another two-way contract, but at the moment remains a free agent, free to be signed by any team.