Derrick Jones Jr.'s early season was defined by maddening inconsistency that eventually forced his demotion to the bench. When his jumper connects, he looks like the ultimate offensive weapon. Look no further than his flawless outing on 10/24 vs PHX, where he buried all five of his three-point attempts en route to 17 points and a staggering +17.5 Impact score fueled by perfect shot selection. Yet, just two nights later on 10/26 vs POR, he vanished completely. He attempted just three shots and recorded zero assists in 22 minutes, dragging his team down with a brutal -10.6 Impact because his sheer offensive passivity left them playing four-on-five. Fortunately, a late-December move to the second unit revived his aggression. By 01/04 vs BOS, he looked entirely rejuvenated, pouring in 19 points on an ultra-efficient 8-of-9 from the floor to post a +12.7 Impact as a relentless, high-energy spark plug.

A sudden promotion to the starting unit completely redefined Derrick Jones Jr.'s midseason run, transforming him from a fringe rotation piece into an essential, albeit volatile, two-way chaotic force. You could see his unique value perfectly on 02/08 vs MIN, where he scored a meager 5 points but still generated a +5.1 impact score. That sneaky positive value stemmed entirely from his relentless defensive effort and smart ball movement, as he racked up four assists while refusing to force bad shots. However, when he strays from that disciplined approach and falls in love with his jumper, the results get incredibly ugly. Look no further than 03/02 vs GSW, where he managed just 9 points on a disastrous 2-for-12 shooting night, dragging his impact score down to a brutal -6.2 because his poor shot selection actively stalled the offense. He is at his absolute best when he trims the fat from his game, exactly like he did on 03/07 vs MEM. By attacking the rim relentlessly to hit 7 of his 8 field goal attempts, he posted a massive +12.3 impact score and bullied Memphis with pure hustle rather than high-volume shooting.