The Sacramento Kings are making an addition to the end of their bench, converting rookie forward Isaac Jones’s two-way contract to a standard two-year deal, per ESPN senior insider Shams Charania.
Kings To Convert Undrafted Rookie Isaac Jones’s Contract
Jones, who went undrafted last year, has been outstanding when on assignment with the team’s G League affiliate. In 11 games, the 24-year-old has averaged 20.9 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 blocks, and 0.9 steals per contest. On Jan. 20, he recorded a career-high 42 points during his G League assignment.
At 6-foot-8 and 245 pounds, Jones is a crafty, patient post player. As he’s not particularly large or explosive, his tailored pace benefits him. That isn’t to say that Jones is restricted to scoring under the rim or incapable of beating a player off the dribble, but it’s not his game. Using his footwork and touch to score in the phone booth is.
The Sacramento Kings are converting two-way center Isaac Jones on a standard, two-year NBA contract, sources tell ESPN. Jones has appeared in 31 games for the Kings while averaging 20.9 points and 10 rebounds for the franchise’s Stockton G League team. pic.twitter.com/9nzWSk5ToK
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 22, 2025
At this point of his career, his 3-point shooting is the biggest concern, so far as his offense. In the G League, he’s converted just 27.0 percent of his 3s. However, he isn’t shy, taking 3.4 three-point attempts per game. This is truly significant as Jones took just 0.5 three-point attempts per game in college.
There’s A Chance
Though he’s appeared in 31 games this season, the Kings don’t lack for frontcourt depth and Jones will probably be used sparingly.
DeMar DeRozan and Keegan Murray both average over 34 minutes per game; both have been playing well. Jake LaRavia has averaged 18.8 minutes per game since his arrival. Trey Lyles, who can be used as a power forward more frequently now that they’ve acquired Jonas Valanciunas, has played 17.9 minutes per game since the All-Star Break.
Even if Jones wasn’t still at the beginning his MyCareer mode, Sacramento would almost have to go out of their way to play him. Nevertheless, with Domantas Sabonis still hobbled by an ankle injury, Jones could be thrown into the fire.
As the regular season winds down, the Kings could also look to get players like DeRozan some rest. At 35 years old, he leads the team in total minutes (2,294) in 2024-25. Interestingly, though they play different positions, DeRozan’s scoring game has similarities to Jones’s. He’s not a reliable 3-point threat and his first step isn’t going to get him to the Olympics. However, his timing and footwork are buonissimo, helping him score in the post.
So, with the regular season finale in just over three weeks, perhaps he’ll get regular playing time at some point next month.
© Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
