Cha-ching: Duke basketball champ hits jackpot with perfectly timed magic

Tyus Jones makes Duke basketball fans mighty proud.

Former Duke basketball one-and-done national champ Tyus Jones will be an unrestricted free agent at the season’s end. And due to his recent performances for the No. 2 seed Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA Playoffs as the fill-in starting point guard while 2022 All-Star Ja Morant (knee) recovers, the 26-year-old seventh-year pro is in line for a jackpot payday somewhere.

Long story short, Jones must be highly allergic to turnovers or something.

The reigning four-time league leader in assist-to-turnover ratio — an NBA record 7.04 clip this go-round — put on a masterful show in Wednesday night’s 134-95 blowout win at home over the No. 3 seed Golden State Warriors. Memphis extended the Western Conference Semifinals series to Friday night’s Game 6 in Golden State (the Warriors lead, 3-2).

ALSO READ: Duke product Tyus Jones makes NBA history, again

Jones finished this latest contest with 21 points, nine assists, three rebounds, two steals, one block, and zero turnovers in only 24 minutes on the floor. He shot 8-for-12 from the field, 4-for-7 beyond the arc, and 1-for-1 from the charity stripe. Because of his picture-perfect efforts, the Grizzlies did not require his services in the fourth quarter.

Two nights earlier in Golden State, despite the team’s 101-98 loss, Jones shined as a starter to the tune of 19 points, five assists, six rebounds, one block, and only one turnover across 41 minutes of action.

Another Duke basketball product in the Big Apple?

Per a recent article by Marc Berman of the New York Post, one anonymous NBA coach has referred to Tyus Jones as arguably the best backup point guard in the entire league. Berman pointed to a possible future suitor in the New York Knicks — home to former Duke basketball one-and-dones RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish — which might make sense given Jones’ experience:

“Memphis backup point guard Tyus Jones, who played three seasons for [current Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau] in Minnesota, is weaving a career year and is on the Knicks’ radar, according to an NBA source…League sources said Jones could command the full non-taxpayer $10.2 million mid-level exception — which the Knick possess as they don’t have cap space.”

No matter when the journey ends for this upstart Memphis Grizzlies squad, it’s a safe bet that Tyus Jones is about to cash in fully on his talents this summer.

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