San Antonio Spurs supporters who have been following the team’s summer league squad have undoubtedly seen David Jones-Garcia’s eye-catching performance.
In his first six Summer League games, he averaged 23.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 25 minutes per game, with a true shooting percentage of nearly 70%.
DAVID JONES-GARCIA, TONIGHT:
That has raised questions about whether he should be on the Spurs’ core roster next season. They presently have two available roster places, one of which might be used for Jones-Garcia and the other for Riley Minix.
In terms of a prospective contract, they may offer him a three-year deal with the first two years guaranteed, with a starting salary of roughly $1.2 million. That would bring the Spurs closer to the luxury tax threshold, but they would still have approximately $4 million in wiggle room. That is significant in case the Spurs decide to make a move before or during the next season.
The Spurs must sign David Jones-Garcia
Although the Spurs appear to have enough of depth at shooting guard and small forward, speculations that Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell could be traded heighten the need for perimeter depth. At this point, he may not be a rotation player, but he has demonstrated enough to deserve a deeper look by the Spurs.
He has shot the ball extremely well in Summer League and has demonstrated a well-rounded style, including the ability to attack off the dribble and defend effectively.
What sticks out is Jones-Garcia’s ability to play at his own speed and his incredible shooting, which averages 55.6% on his six 3-point tries per game. San Antonio has a long history of signing Summer League standouts to NBA contracts, only to see them develop into rotation players.
Gary Neal, Jonathan Simmons, and Bryn Forbes are the most recent examples, and they provide some precedent for the organization signing Jones-Garcia to an NBA contract. The disadvantage would be negligible, with minimal contracts for players with few years of experience being the cheapest players available.
Jones-Garcia might become the Spurs’ next success story.
A multi-year contract would allow him to grow into a role while also providing the Spurs with more opportunities to develop him. Harrison Barnes and Kelly Olynyk’s contracts are up at the end of next season, and one of Vassell or Johnson could leave.
Finally, Jones-Garcia’s impressive Summer League performance may have revealed a hidden gem for the Spurs. Given that the Spurs still have two available roster spots and some wiggle room under the luxury tax, they should take a chance on Jones-Garcia and see if he can become another Spurs success story.
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