Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
DeQuan Jones got his chance to play NBA basketball this year with the Orlando Magic. But whether or not he did enough to earn another year with the team remains to be seen.
Late in the season, Jones was doing a few productive things with the minutes he was getting. It’s likely the Magic will keep him for 2013-14, especially since he’s a rookie, but he’ll probably have to earn his spot in the preseason.
If the Magic eventually cut him, another team needing help in the post would be wise to sign Jones. He has shown promise as an aggressive post player who can give his team some valuable minutes.
Jones appeared in 63 games and started 17 times. He especially saw playing time late in the season as injuries got the best of the Magic.
He averaged 3.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 12.7 minutes a game. He shot 43.6 percent from the floor, but hurt his prospects for more playing time by only shooting 25.7 percent from the 3-point area and 66.7 percent in free throws.
Jones scored in double digits four times this season, usually when his minutes were up. He’s showing that he can be a decent contributor if he gets court-time. As the Magic move through the offseason, it’s likely they’re going to focus on retaining younger players and not using as much veteran help. If that’s the case, Jones is likely to get a good shot in the preseason to play a lot and show what he’s got. It appears he has some talent to give to the Magic, but it will be his job to show it.
