NBA hires James Jones as executive vice president and head of basketball operations

NEW YORK (AP) — James Jones is joining the NBA front office as executive vice president and head of basketball operations, replacing Joe Dumars in that role.

Jones spent 14 years as a player in the NBA, winning two championships with the Miami Heat and another with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He spent the last seven seasons in the Phoenix Suns’ front office, working for the overwhelming majority of that time as their general manager.

“I’m thrilled and honored to take on the responsibility of leading the Basketball Operations department,” Jones said. “This is an exciting opportunity to pour my passion for the game into a new role and collaborate with so many talented professionals on driving the continued success and growth of the NBA.”

Jones will oversee the NBA’s basketball operations matters, including playing rules and how they are interpreted, player and coach conduct and discipline, along with policies and procedures related to how games are operated. He will report to Byron Spruell, the NBA’s President of League Operations.

“James is widely respected across the NBA for being an inspiring leader and the consummate teammate during his more than 20 years as a highly successful player and team executive,” Spruell said. “With his exceptional relationship-building skills and deep basketball expertise, he is well suited to guide our efforts to shape the current and future direction of the NBA game.”

Dumars was with the NBA from 2022 through earlier this year, when the Louisiana native left the league office to take over as the head of basketball operations for the New Orleans Pelicans.

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