James Jones and Blake get a jump start

Aug/15/07 06:54 AM

It may well be the dog days of summer in the NBA and a good time for a little rest and relaxation, but don’t tell that to Trail Blazers James Jones and Steve Blake. Both Jones and Blake are working out together this week at the Trail Blazers practice facility in Tualatin.

Trail Blazers assistant coach Monty Williams put Jones and Blake through a number of drills that were primarily focused on outside shooting and if Tuesday’s workout was any indication Portland’s perimeter game could see significant improvement this coming NBA season. Despite being the off-season, both players impressed and at one point during the morning workout Jones hit 16 three-pointers in a row, missed one, and then sank another five straight.

Jones, 26, is excited about his new opportunity here in Portland, and as you’ll learn in this podcast interview with TrailBlazers.com’s Jim Taylor, he’s putting in the extra time now in hopes of making it a smooth transition to Rip City.

(nba.com/blazers)

Blazers: Will Jones Start In Portland?

Jul/20/07 06:58 PM

The Portland Trail Blazers kept the red carpet rolled out today as they introduced James Jones as the latest addition to a revamped Blazers roster.

Jones was acquired from Phoenix along with the draft rights to Rudy
Fernandez in exchange for cash considerations and the acquisition was finalized on July 11. The Jones-to-Portland rumor circulated back on draft night and become reality as Jones was introduced to the local media at the Rose Garden this morning.

Jones, 26, averaged 6.4 points and 2.3 rebounds with a .368 shooting percentage from beyond the arc in 2006-07, his second season with the Suns. He now becomes an elder statesman and a team full of young guns.

“I’m coming from a team where guys are 29, 30. And now I’m one of the older guys on the team," Jones said at today's press conference.

Blazers take shot with Jones

Jul/20/07 06:57 PM

PORTLAND — The puzzle the Portland Trail Blazers have been putting together all summer is one step closer to completion.

The Blazers held a press conference Thursday morning at the Rose Garden to announce the signing of small forward James Jones.

Portland expects Jones — who was acquired along with the draft rights to Rudy Fernandez in a draft-day trade on July 11 with the Phoenix Suns — to immediately provide an outside shooting threat and playoff experience to a young, inexperienced team.

“(Jones) is off the charts in terms of what he brings to the court. He’s gonna compete for playing time,” said Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard. “We know who he is. He’s great. He’s coachable. He’s a guy who’s willing to play.”

TRAIL BLAZERS ACQUIRE JAMES JONES

Jul/11/07 04:27 PM

PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Trail Blazers acquired guard/forward James Jones and the draft rights to guard Rudy Fernandez, whom Phoenix selected with the No. 24 pick, in exchange for cash considerations, it was announced Wednesday by Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard.

Jones, 26, averaged 6.4 points and 2.3 rebounds with a .368 shooting percentage from beyond the arc in 2006-07, his second season with the Suns. Originally selected by the Pacers with the 49th overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, the fifth-year pro from the University of Miami (FL) has career numbers of 6.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and a .395 mark from 3-point range.

"We are thrilled to have a long-range shooter and a young man with very high character in James Jones," said Pritchard. "And Rudy Fernandez is a tremendous prospect who has excelled at the highest levels of international basketball."

Portland was able to acquire Jones with a trade exception gained in a June 28 trade with New York, which sent Zach Randolph, Freddy Jones and Dan Dickau to the Knicks in exchange for Steve Francis and Channing Frye.

(oregonian.com)

James Jones talks

Jul/04/07 11:59 AM

James Jones, who is headed to Portland once a Suns draft night trade is finalized, spoke about the deal for the first time Tuesday to KTAR-AM.

"The last two years have been the greatest years of my basketball career," he said, later adding, "The fans (in Phoenix) are phenomenal. They can't be replaced or they can't be compared with anyone in the country."

(azcentral.com)

James Jones heads to Portland

Jun/30/07 11:08 AM

The Suns agreed Thursday night to a trade that will send swingman James Jones to Portland as part of the deal that had the Trail Blazers buying Phoenix's 24th pick for $3 million.

Portland is allowed to take a player without returning one because they acquired a trade exception in the Zach Randolph deal with the New York Knicks.

The deal, confirmed by two league sources, may not become official until next week because of pending physicals.

The move is another one to help reduce the Suns' luxury tax next year. Jones was slated to make $2.9 million this season and $3.15 million in the final year of his contract in 2008-09.

Jones, 26, played the past two seasons for the Suns in the role of long-distance shooter and sound defender. He played 18.1 minutes per game last season and averaged 6.4 points on 36.8 percent field-goal shooting, including 37.8 percent on three-pointers.

(azcentral.com)

James Jones Update

May/23/07 09:42 AM

2006-07 performance: Jones got off to an awful shooting start until a return to the leather ball changed his stroke - or his mind-set. D'Antoni never wanted to get away from Jones' knowledge of the system, help defense and three-point shot (45.2 percent in 13 starts).

2007-08 outlook: Jones is an ideal role player at a $2.9 million salary for next season. A better ability to hit shots off the dribble or inside the arc would be a boost. He hit only 35.6 percent of his two-point shots this season.

(azcentral.com)

Jones aims to bounce back

Apr/30/07 10:46 AM

LOS ANGELES - Since forward James Jones entered the Suns' starting lineup eight games ago, he has scored in double digits in Phoenix's four 100-plus outings and single digits in the Suns' four sub-100 outings.

Jones called his Game 3 performance "horrible." The Lakers played tight defense against the Suns' three-point shooters, leaving Jones with no three-point tries for the first time in the past 10 games.

"If you're in the corner, they're paying close attention and not allowing you to get the ball and forcing our bigs - Amaré (Stoudemire), Shawn (Marion) and Boris (Diaw) - to make plays when they trap Steve (Nash)," Jones said. "Just try to make ourselves available and make it easier for Steve. Give him better angles and just get the ball quicker to the paint, because that's their soft spot right now.

Jones enjoying time in starting five

Apr/23/07 11:02 AM

James Jones relishes his spot among the Suns starting five. It's nice to get started early, he said.

Nice to be out there “with the superstars.”

“Not only do I get more looks out there with Steve (Nash), but I get to be more aggressive early,'' the forward said. “They're going to get me open shots and they're going to put me defensively on somebody I can bother and pester.”

James Jones Experiment Working

Apr/16/07 01:21 PM

The late-season twist of having James Jones start is working so far.

In the past three games as a starter, Jones has gone 5-for-11, 0-for-6 and 4-for-6 shooting. Though this doesn’t make for consistency, it adds up to 8.3 points on 39-percent shooting, plus 4.0 rebounds.

Most important, the Suns have won all three games.

“I love it,” Jones said of his latest role. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

“It gives me a chance to get going early, after warm-ups.”

Not only that, but, “I’m playing with the heavy hitters. It gives me a chance to play freely.”

Jones doesn’t demand the ball, so that may help the Suns’ much-discussed recent chemistry problems.

“I think that’s the best way to go,” D’Antoni said of Jones starting. “That’s our intent right now.”

(eastvalleytribune.com)

James Jones Update

Apr/12/07 08:18 AM

James Jones started over Boris Diaw in Wednesday's win over the Sonics and had 13 points and three 3-pointers on 5-of-11 shooting. Jones may start the rest of the way for the Suns, and the move appeared to help Shawn Marion, who had 24 points and 10 boards. Then again, it could have been shoddy Sonics' D that responsible for Marion's big night. Jones will have some value if he continues to start.

(rotoworld.com)

Diaw to sit, Jones to start - James Jones will get start against Sonics

Apr/11/07 07:45 PM

Suns swingman James Jones will start tonight's home game against Seattle in part to stir up the offense, but also because of Boris Diaw's recent struggles.

Shawn Marion moves to power forward, a spot in which he is more productive, and Jones has the chance to jump-start his offensive game.

Jones will take the spot Diaw has occupied most often beside the four set Suns starters - Steve Nash, Raja Bell, Marion and Amaré Stoudemire. In the season's 78th game, Phoenix, with 58 victories, will try a starting lineup not used this season as it tries to best utilize eight rotation players.

James Jones' struggles from 3-point range continue

Mar/24/07 12:40 PM

The Suns want consistency out of James Jones, and he is consistently missing.

The forward made three three-pointers in the second quarter March 14 vs. Dallas but has not made one since. It became a streak of 11 consecutive three-point misses Thursday for the player Phoenix desperately needs to connect when point guard Steve Nash is resting.

If Jones is not, Phoenix goes through dire offensive stretches without Nash, like when the Kings wiped out the Suns' first half-lead Thursday. Before the drought, Jones had a streak of 14 consecutive games with a three-pointer. He shot 40.7 percent (24 for 59) on threes during that stretch.

Suns' Jones saved by leather ball - Former Pacer struggled shooting synthetic ball

Mar/03/07 10:09 AM

PHOENIX -- James Jones' place in the Phoenix Suns' rotation was on the ropes at the end of December.

Then he was saved by the ball.

The former Indiana Pacers guard is a niche player, his employment status relying almost exclusively on his jump shot. When he struggled to get comfortable with the synthetic ball the NBA introduced at the start of this season, he paid for it with playing time.

Jones, who started Friday's game against the Pacers at U.S. Airways Center in place of the injured Shawn Marion, scored in double figures just once in the team's 31 games.

James Jones Starts for first time in 46 Games

Feb/15/07 09:30 AM

The Suns will started James Jones -- or "Jhoops," his latest nickname -- last night at Seattle instead of Marcus Banks, who started Sunday's loss against Chicago. Jones' first start of the season was in the spot of Boris Diaw, who was not ready to play because of lower back spasms. Jones started 24 games in his first season with the Suns last year.

There are probably two reasons for the switch:
1) Seattle is a bigger team. If Banks was to start again at off-guard, Raja Bell would be at small forward trying to cover 6-foot-10 Rashard Lewis.

2) This won't be said but there has not been any fruits to come of Marcus Banks' playing time. Even when he appears to be doing better (20 points against Atlanta or seven assists against Chicago), his time is killing Phoenix. He has the worst plus-minus on the team, according to nba.com Lenovo stats. Phoenix was minus-44 with Banks on the floor for 54 minutes in the past two games.

Jones scored 8 points and had 3 rebounds in his first start of the season.

(azcentral.com)

Back in the groove (James Jones)

Jan/10/07 07:07 AM

After scoring 10 or more points just once in the first 31 games of the season, James Jones continued his resurgence with his third straight game in double figures, scoring eight of his 10 points in the first half to help keep the Suns within striking distance.

“James is giving us that little bit of extra,” D’Antoni said. “With the (bench) on the floor, we’re starting to increase leads and recover leads, which is huge for us.”

Jones hit four of five shots and is now 17-for-28 over the last four games after shooting under 30 percent all season. He also played nice defense on Allen during his 14 minutes.

“You play 82 games and there are going to be nights when the starters aren’t sharp,” Jones said. “We have to be there on those nights and I think myself, LB and Kurt gave that boost.”

When Barbosa (26 points) and James Jones (25 points) combined for 51 points off the bench in Sunday’s win over Golden State, it marked the first time in 13 years that two reserves from the same team scored at least 25 points in a regulation game. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Los Angeles Laker teammates Reggie Jordan (28) and James Worthy (26) were the last duo to turn the trick on Feb. 6, 1994 against Utah.

(eastvalleytribune.com)

James Jones scores 25 points as Phoenix Suns burn Warriors 128-105

Jan/08/07 12:46 AM

PHOENIX (AP) - James Jones' shot returned with the leather ball, and that means yet another offensive threat for the Phoenix Suns.

Jones scored 25 points, two shy of his career high, and the Suns cruised to their sixth win in a row, 128-105 over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night. Fellow reserve Leandro Barbosa scored 26 and Shawn Marion had 24 points and 17 rebounds in the Suns' 22nd victory in their last 24 games. Victoria's Steve Nash had 14 points and 10 assists, then didn't play in the fourth quarter.

"I really think this is the best team I've ever been on," Nash said. "We still have to prove that, but it could be."