Suns general manager James Jones learned many lessons as a second-round pick who lasted 14 seasons in the NBA as a sharpshooting wing. From a 15th man in Indiana as a rookie, to a valued contributor for the Big Three–era Heat, to a sage veteran in Cleveland during LeBron James’s second stint there, Jones learned patience, how to stay ready to strike and how to be a crucial part of a collective even when not playing regularly.
“Second-round picks are NBA players, too. Undrafted guys are NBA players, too,” Jones says. “It honestly reaffirmed to me that if you just work, if you try to do everything in an effort to help the team be better, and to help the team win, you’ll be in a good spot.