Summer League player grades: Mason Jones
The 2022 NBA Summer League is now in the books for the Los Angeles Lakers, and they had a few players who showed at least some potential to make it to the big leagues and spend some significant time there.
One of those players is Mason Jones, a 6-foot-4, 200-pound guard who spent this past season with the South Bay Lakers of the G League. There, he averaged 18.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 51.8 percent from the field and 42.0 percent from 3-point range.
Here is a summary of what Jones showed in the Summer League over the past couple of weeks.
Jones can score the rock
Jones, a product of the University of Arkansas, put up 12.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 24.4 minutes per game through the first four games in Las Vegas.
Prior to that, he struggled in the three games that took place at the California Classic, only managing 6.7 points in 19.5 minutes a game while shooting 27.8 percent from the field.
But once Jones got to Las Vegas, he started to pick up his play, and he shot the 3-ball very well there.
In his first four games there, he made 50.0 percent of his shots from beyond the arc, although he went 0-of-2 from that distance in the finale on Saturday versus the Dallas Mavericks.
MASON JONES FOR THE LEAD IN OT 🪣 pic.twitter.com/5dE8nV7Gbn
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 11, 2022
Stepback Mason Jones splash 💦
Hornets-Lakers is live on NBA TV! pic.twitter.com/E1ZikIOds7
— NBA (@NBA) July 11, 2022
He has also shown the ability to break defenders off the dribble and either get to the basket and finish or get himself a shot from mid-range.
Mason Jones is toying with the rock! pic.twitter.com/IYl0y0HlOi
— NBA (@NBA) July 17, 2022
Jay Huff holding down the paint and Mason Jones for the tough finish in transition. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/EHdSV9gR2t
— Sir Otit 🇩🇴🇭🇹 (@_Titinn_) July 17, 2022
Tough change of speed by Mason Jones!
Another beautiful hesi from #NBA2K23SummerLeague on ESPN pic.twitter.com/E5bK3GPKLy
— NBA (@NBA) July 13, 2022
On occasion, Jones has shown the ability to hit the open man.
Nice find by Mason Jones to Fabian White Jr who cuts to the basket for the bucket. pic.twitter.com/EWJ3fcUNYi
— Sir Otit 🇩🇴🇭🇹 (@_Titinn_) July 17, 2022
Mason Jones drives and kicks it to the corner where Max Christie hits the 3 pic.twitter.com/0cxhXVlG0E
— Aram Cannuscio (@AC__Hoops) July 13, 2022
However, at times, Jones has been guilty of too much tunnel vision and perhaps a bit of selfishness.
Sharpshooter Cole Swider not getting the ball???? Mason Jones too selfish. pic.twitter.com/ghwxNxFzvb
— Sir Otit 🇩🇴🇭🇹 (@_Titinn_) July 9, 2022
Defensively, Jones has some work to do, but his size may allow him to become an adequate defender.
One of the best drive-to-tuff-angle-bucket-finishers to ever do it in the SEC, Hogs great & Lakers two-way Mason Jones @masonjones2 does his thing here before drawing O foul at other end as he has 4 pts, 2 asts, 1 reb at half w/Suns leading by 6 on Fri @ Las Vegas Summer League pic.twitter.com/tCWAdW1tK9
— Kevin McPherson (@ARHoopScoop) July 9, 2022
In all likelihood, Jones will continue to play in the G League, at least for now, but if he puts in some serious work, perhaps he could eventually stick around in the NBA.
Final grade: B-