Why the San Antonio Spurs should rescue Derrick Jones Jr.

Going from starter to DNP's is never fun -- just ask Trey Lyles. After starting in over half of the Trail Blazers games this season, that's exactly what's happened to Derrick Jones Jr. This summer, it's time for the San Antonio Spurs to make a move.

The 6-5 forward from Pennsylvania can absolutely jump out of the gym, which was fully on display in his 2020 NBA Slam Dunk Contest win. Of course, you need to be able to produce more than just freakish hops to play under Gregg Popovich, which is why it took Lonnie Walker so long to get meaningful minutes.

As it stands now, Jones has shown flashes of brilliance so far in his stretches with Phoenix, Miami, and Portland. Still, he's failed to ever average 24 or more minutes in any single season of his five-year NBA career. Consistency has been one issue plaguing him so far in his career.

Before jumping into where the Spurs could come into play and add another Derrick to their roster, let's take a look at what's been happening with the Trail Blazers and why they've seemed to all but give up on the high-flying forward.