With free agency looming, Heat’s Derrick Jones Jr. plans to play in NBA restart despite risk
Wednesday represents a soft deadline for players to opt out of participating in the resumption of the 2019-20 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has some around the league seriously weighing the risks of returning to the court.
The NBA’s restart plan calls for 22 teams to finish their seasons at a fanless quarantine-type environment just outside of Orlando at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The Miami Heat plans to travel to the Disney complex by bus on July 9 and then will enter the league’s quarantine bubble, with the season restarting on July 30 and ending in October.
Some NBA players are concerned a restart of the season could distract from the Black Lives Matter movement. Some don’t want to live without family and/or friends for nearly two months. Some are uneasy about the restrictive health and safety protocols that come with living in the bubble. And some are simply worried about contracting COVID-19.
Then there’s the heightened injury risk that comes with returning to eight “seeding games” and playoff action following a four-month break that began when the season was suspended on March 11. That has some impending free agents asking themselves if participating in the restart is worth the risk of injury and potential loss of future earnings, as Washington Wizards forward Davis Bertans already made the decision to sit out the restart as a precaution with a lucrative free agent contract expected to come his way this offseason.
It looks like Heat impending free agent forward Derrick Jones Jr. is willing to accept the risk. At this point, the 23-year-old Jones plans to play when Miami’s season resumes.
“Honestly, I haven’t been thinking about it much,” Jones said last week to the Miami Herald of becoming an unrestricted free agent this offseason. “I just focus on the task at hand. My task at hand is to make the playoffs this season, and we did it. My next task is to make it as far as we can in the playoffs and try to contend for a title. That’s what I got on my mind right now, and that’s what I’m thinking about right now. When that time comes for free agency, that’s honestly when I’m probably going to think about it.”
But the risk is real, with Jones on the verge of the first sizable contract of his NBA career that’s expected to include an annual salary that’s substantially more than the $1.6 million salary he’s on this season. Jones, who is in the final season of a two-year, $3.2 million deal he signed in 2018, would lose about $17,800 per game missed for up to 14 games if he would decide to opt out of the restart.
There’s also a chance Jones could raise his free agent stock if he impresses at Disney.
Whatever happens, Jones hopes to re-sign with the Heat in free agency this offseason and he hasn’t been shy about making that known. It’s one of the reasons he feels so compelled to participate in the restart despite the injury risk, as a sign of loyalty to the Heat.
“The team gave me my first opportunity really in the NBA,” Jones said when asked why he hopes to re-sign with Miami. “When I first came here on my two-way [contract], coach [Erik Spoelstra] threw me in the fire a lot. ... He just always gave me a shot, and I just had to take full advantage of every opportunity he gave me.
“We just built that relationship throughout my years here. I feel strong about the organization, the team, everything that they’re doing. The way that my game has developed from when I first came here to now is just like a big difference. I just want to keep building on that and I think we can do something special.”
The Heat has the cap space this offseason to keep Jones. But finding the room to sign Jones to a multi-year contract could be challenging because the Heat is working to preserve max cap space for what’s expected to be a talented 2021 free agent class that’s on track to be headlined by Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The good news for Jones and other players is the NBA and National Basketball Players Association have agreed to implement an insurance plan for those resuming the season that would cover career-ending injuries related to COVID-19 or conventional basketball injuries, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. But the insurance is not expected to cover less serious injuries, which would still impact players’ future contracts.
Jones, who won the Slam Dunk Contest during All-Star Weekend in February, has averaged career highs in points (8.9), rebounds (4.2), assists (1.1), steals (1.1) and minutes (24.5) in 51 games (15 starts) this season. It has been the best all-around season of his young career as he has also proven to be a reliable and versatile defender.
One of the aspects of Jones’ game that still needs to improve is his three-point shooting, as he has made just 27 percent of his threes on 2.5 attempts per game this season. But despite the numbers, Jones feel like his outside shot is trending in the right direction because of the work he’s putting in behind the scenes.
“When I first came into the league, I couldn’t throw a rock in the ocean,” said Jones, who went undrafted out of UNLV in 2016. “Now, honestly, I feel more confident in my jumper than I ever have in my life. I feel like me personally, I feel like I can go toe-to-toe with anybody that’s on the court shooting. That’s how I feel about my jump shot. Other people might have a different opinion. But you come in the gym and you watch me, you’ll see.”
REST OF HEAT’S ROSTER
The other impending unrestricted free agents on the Heat’s roster are Jae Crowder, Goran Dragic, Udonis Haslem, Solomon Hill and Meyers Leonard.
Most players on the Heat’s 17-man roster have already indicated they want to play when the season resumes, with center Bam Adebayo noting last week: “We’re the Miami Heat. I don’t think anybody is going to sit out.”
The NBA is allowing players to opt out of the bubble plan and they will not be penalized for staying home, but those players will not be paid for missed games unless they are ruled to be an excused or protected player because they are in risk categories for COVID-19.
Although Wednesday is the deadline for players to notify their teams that they’ll sit out the restart if they are looking to be on the excused or protected list to keep their salaries, others who simply want to opt out without pay have more time to make that decision. July 1 could be considered the deadline for those players, which is the last day for teams to register all players and staff who will be traveling to the Disney bubble.
Teams will be able to sign substitute players from July 1 until Aug. 14 to replace a player who notifies his team that he has elected to sit out the resumption of the season, is an excused or protected player because he’s considered high risk or tests positive for COVID-19 (mandatory COVID-19 testing for NBA players and staff began Tuesday). Even with the Heat at the league maximum of 17 players on its roster, it will be able to exceed that total to add a substitute player.
Those who have played in the NBA or G League this season and were not under contract this season with a professional team outside of the United States are eligible to sign rest-of-season contracts. Among the players available who fit this criteria are guard Jamal Crawford, guard Trey Burke, wing Iman Shumpert and former Heat guard Tyler Johnson, with The Athletic reporting that center DeMarcus Cousins will sit out the restart.
Teams also can replace a player who tests positive for COVID-19 from the last day of “seeding games” until the final game of the 2019-20 season. However, the pool of available players is limited to those with zero to three years of service in the NBA.
The postseason is set to begin on Aug. 17 following eight “seeding games.” The Heat has already clinched a playoff spot.
This story was originally published June 23, 2020 at 1:44 PM.
