Mavericks wing Derrick Jones Jr. shares upcoming free agency plans

The Dallas Mavericks begin the 2024 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics in less than 12 hours, and all eyes are on Dallas and Luka Doncic as he pursues his first NBA Championship title.

The Mavs are coming off a dominant series win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals that ended last week, and Dallas has won six of their last seven games dating back to the final two games of their second-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The superstar play of Kyrie Irving and Doncic has been excellent, but a massive reason the Mavs are still playing right now has been the play of their role players. P.J. Washington and Dereck Lively II have been excellent, but another role player has also stepped up tremendously and is a key X-factor entering the Finals.

Derrick Jones Jr. plans to re-sign with Mavericks

Derrick Jones Jr. has been phenomenal on both ends of the floor in this playoff run, and he has been the glue that holds the starting lineup together on the wing. In the 2024 Playoffs, Jones Jr. is averaging 9.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, and 0.5 steals per game while shooting 39.6 percent from downtown.

Jones Jr. is playing his best basketball of the season at the perfect time, and he will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He is set to have a big payday considering how well he is playing, but according to Jones Jr., he intends to re-sign with Dallas.

Jones Jr. recently sat down with Remi Reverchon at the Finals, and he opened up about his impending free agency (skip to 4:03 in the video below).

"I'm planning on being here. I don't wanna go nowhere," Jones Jr. said when asked about free agency. "I tell everybody, I love it here. As long as we can get everything situated, I’m staying."

This was an extremely forward statement considering how the season still isn't over yet, but it definitely reflects how Jones Jr. feels about the Mavericks organization. Jones Jr. hinted at him returning next season recently and having him say this provides tons of clarity for curious fans.

Re-signing Jones Jr. will likely be one of the Mavs' top priorities this summer, and him returning could help Dallas make another deep playoff run again next season. Jones Jr.'s confidence throughout the playoffs has helped set the tone for those around him, and his defense all season long has been outstanding.

For all the latest on Derrick Jones Jr. and the Dallas Mavericks during the 2024 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, stay tuned.