The Philadelphia 76ers now have a full roster consisting of 15 players on standard NBA deals and three others on two-way arrangements. As such, they are basically precluded from adding any more players unless they cut someone else. That is the complete opposite of kismet, as another ball club just parted ways with the exact kind of player they currently need.
As bared by ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Mavericks have cut ties with veteran floor general Tyus Jones to make way for the conversion of rookie Ryan Nembhard’s two-way contract. Dallas has acknowledged that its competitive window this season has now been closed, so it made perfect sense for their brain trust to accommodate a younger player instead of keeping a veteran caged up.
Now, Jones would have been an ideal stopgap solution for the 76ers at point guard, which is one of the more shallow positions in their depth chart. But in view of the fact that the team does not have the necessary roster spots at the moment, the front office can only look at the bad timing of the situation with regret.
The 76ers would have been a perfect landing spot for Tyus Jones
Jones, who has long been one of the most reliable ball handlers in the league, has had a down season. However, he has not really gotten a consistent role in the current campaign, but his body of work over the years definitely makes him entitled to some benefit of doubt that he can still be a productive role player as long as he is given real court time.
The 76ers need another rotation-caliber point guard off the bench to help organize the team in the halfcourt. So far, Cam Payne has been a mixed bag, and his playmaking still leaves a lot to be desired. They do not have a natural floor general on the roster, which is something the coaching staff would revel in given the sheer amount of capable shot creators on the squad.
Jones, who is probably the best at ball security in the league over the last half-decade or so, would have been the correct play for the front office had he been made available before the 76ers filled their roster up. Now, Daryl Morey and his cohorts will probably not endeavor to make a roster cut to accommodate a shot-term rental.
Clearly, this is a case of bad timing. Had the stars aligned better, Tyus Jones would have been part of the 76ers right now.