Duke Blue Devils: Wolves shopping Tyus Jones?
Former Duke Blue Devils point guard Tyus Jones could be on the move.
The life of former Duke Blue Devils in the NBA is never boring these days. Besides Duke alum Adam Silver putting together a new collective bargaining agreement, there have been lots of movement and potential movement by Duke alums around the league. Before the Ben Simmons injury, there were constant rumors that Jahlil Okafor would have a new address. That talk has quieted down, but one of Okafor’s former teammates is now on the trade block.
That would be Tyus Jones of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jones is part of an increasingly crowded point guard situation for the Wolves. The team already had Ricky Rubio as its starter at the position. That did not prevent the team from drafting the more defensive oriented Kris Dunn from Providence in the last draft. While there had been talk of the Wolves moving Rubio, it hasn’t happened yet.
Jones becomes the third wheel in the current situation and therefore is potentially tradeable. This is exactly what the Timberwolves are looking to do according to reports from Adrian Wojnarowski of the Vertical. The Wolves even have a target in mind: Okafor’s Philadelphia 76ers.
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No, this is not a swap between the two Duke teammates. Okafor has more overall value and does not necessarily fit next to Karl-Anthony Towns. This is a deal that would involve Jones and some lower tier players or picks.
The 76ers currently have Jerryd Bayless as their starter, but Bayless is hurt. Sergio Rodriguez and T.J. McConnell man the position currently. State undrafted free agent Anthony Barber was waived in the roster cut down to fifteen. The team could use some spice at the position.
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The other thing that a Jones deal would do is make the 76ers even more Duke heavy than they already are. Okafor already has Duke alum Gerald Henderson as a teammate. Elton Brand was on the roster earlier in the summer.