Ex-Grizzlies player ‘set to have a breakout season’ similar to Jalen Brunson
By Mark Nilon
This summer, the Memphis Grizzlies bolstered their backcourt talent by executing a blockbuster trade for veteran guard, Marcus Smart.
The transaction involved three teams including the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards and saw a slew of moving pieces, with easily the most significant name found exiting Grind City being Tyus Jones.
The point guard became a fan favorite amongst the Grizzlies’ faithful followers throughout his four-year tenure, particularly during his final season in 2022-23, where he played a pivotal role within the rotation while filling in at the starting one during superstar Ja Morant’s numerous absences.
Despite being a career backup, his production as a primary ball handler suggests that the 27-year-old is more than capable of taking on said duties on a full-time basis and, now with the Wizards, he’ll be given the opportunity to do exactly that during his debut 2023-24 campaign.
With this, many are already pegging Jones to be a legitimate breakout candidate in the making and, in a recent piece penned by FanNation’s Tyrone Montgomery, it is being suggested that his trajectory could wind up resembling that of New York Knicks guard, Jalen Brunson.
Ex-Grizzlies guard Tyus Jones could have Jalen Brunson-esque breakout season
"“The Wizards and their scouting department as well as front office [should] give themselves a pat on the back in acquiring Tyus Jones. Now that he is their starting point guard, Jones will have a chip on his shoulder because he should have always been a starting point guard.The Wizards always needed a starting point guard. Trading for Kendrick Nunn turned out to be the wrong move as he is still a free agent at the moment. Tyus Jones could have a similar jump to what we [saw] in Jalen Brunson last year with the New York Knicks. He was showing signs of greatness playing behind Luka Doncic. Now that he is the guy, he is a borderline NBA [All-Star]. Tyus Jones is set to have a breakout season this year as he is the floor general the Wizards need,” Montgomery wrote."
As Montgomery suggested, throughout his time in Dallas from 2018 to 2022 Brunson showed in spurts that he had the potential to hold his own as a go-to option at the one, and wrapped up his final season with averages of 17.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.1 rebounds on 50.2 percent shooting from the field and 38.8 percent shooting from deep when inserted into the starting five.
During his first season being handed the keys to an NBA offense after signing with the Knicks in free agency, he would only go on to up his numbers and productivity in virtually all aspects of his game, dropping career-best averages of 24.0 points and 6.2 assists while shooting 41.6 percent from deep.
https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1599992278432550919
Last year, Jones saw 22 games played as a starter with the Grizzlies, where he posted impressive averages of 16.4 points, 8.1 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.8 steals on 50.0 percent shooting from the field and 41.5 percent from deep.
In year one with the Wizards, the guard will finally find himself in the first-five lineup on a full-time basis where, in turn, he could realistically have a Brunson-esque breakout.
