Why Mavericks Player Passed On Opportunity To Sign With Celtics

Derrick Jones Jr. on Sunday admitted it will be “kind of funny” to play against the Celtics in the 2024 NBA Finals.

That’s because Jones had the opportunity to join Boston’s star-studded roster last NBA offseason. The 27-year-old became a free agent after declining his player option with the Chicago Bulls, and the Celtics were among the final few teams he considered before signing on the dotted line. But Jones decided to take his talents to Dallas, where he went from prove-it player to starter.

Speaking with the media four days before the start of the Finals, Jones explained why he chose the Mavericks over the Celtics on the open market.

“I just decided to bet on myself and I took less money to come here, but the money wasn’t the problem,” Jones told reporters, per Sports Illustrated. “I just wanted to have the opportunity to be on the floor, to showcase what I’m able to do, and it happened for me.”

You don’t need the benefit of hindsight to say Jones made the right decision. Both Dallas and Boston entered the season with legitimate title aspirations, but there was no scenario where the UNLV product could have become a starter with the Celtics. Jones, at the very best, could have ended up as Boston’s sixth man, but even that reserve role might have been ambitious.

Jones clearly saw a path to a great opportunity in Dallas, and he’s now four wins away from his first championship. But even if the Mavericks don’t claim the Larry O’Brien Trophy, Jones set himself up nicely for free agency this summer.