Former Suns general manager James Jones has accepted a job in the league office, the NBA announced today in a press release.
Jones has been named the NBA’s new executive vice president and head of basketball operations. It’s the same role that Joe Dumars held before he left the position to become the Pelicans’ executive VP of basketball operations in April.
Jones’ responsibilities in his new position will include overseeing “development of playing rules and interpretations, conduct and discipline, and policies and procedures relating to the operation of games,” per the league.
“James is widely respected across the NBA for being an inspiring leader and the consummate teammate during his more than 20 years as a highly successful player and team executive,” the NBA’s president of league operations Byron Spruell said in a statement. “With his exceptional relationship-building skills and deep basketball expertise, he is well suited to guide our efforts to shape the current and future direction of the NBA game.”
A three-time NBA champion as a player, Jones had been in the Suns’ front office for the last eight years. He was initially hired as Phoenix’s vice president of basketball operations in 2017, but quickly rose up the ranks to become co-general manager in October of 2018. He was later named the Suns’ lone GM in 2019 and had been the head of basketball operations for the team since then, until he was replaced by Brian Gregory this spring.
At the time of Gregory’s promotion, reporting indicated that Jones was transitioning to becoming a senior advisor for the Suns. However, typically when a head of basketball operations is moved out of that top role, it’s a precursor to him leaving that organization altogether.
Bro is walking away from that explosion
The guy who LeBron got roster spots for years and owes LeBron a favor now moves to the league office as LeBron gets ready to retire in the next few years…hmm *Cue Windhorst index fingers*
So true. Absolutely this was a handshake deal where LeBron will eventually be the front-facing (A-Rod/Magic) owner of the future Vegas team and James Jones will be the GM, and most of the high-paid players and draftees will be Rich Paul clients.
A-Rod actually has some say in matters. Magic is just an LA icon who shows up at games with no power what so ever.
Funny Windy comment
Failing upwards! Gotta love this society we’ve made. Dude was a horrible GM for the Suns and completely ruined their team after THEY WENT TO THE FINALS.
To be fair, all the big trades like KD and Beal were Ishbia overruling him. Jones was never going to put Bridges into the KD deal, but Ishbia forced him to put him in the deal to get it done. Plus guys like Isiah Thomas are getting their say. He lost a lot of power with the ownership change.
Not defending his moves, but suns missed their one shot in ‘21. Denver was banged up and that was CP3’s last chance as an elite player
I hear he’s trying to trade for Bradley Beal to run the desk phones in the office