Why Champ Matters

Most people who know anything about the NBA know that LeBron James has been to the last six NBA Finals, but not near as many know that James Jones (Champ) has been right with him in each one of those series. Jones is an aging veteran role player who doesn’t even make it into most games, and he really hasn’t played a lot of meaningful minutes since joining LeBron in his return to Cleveland. He has a very tradeable contract because he only makes $1.5 million a year, and the team who traded for him could easily dump him and move on.

Why is it that out of all the end-of-the-bench guys that have played with LeBron over his career that James Jones always manages to hang around, and why has LeBron said that as long as he plays in the league, there will be a roster spot for Champ on his team? LeBron came out and said the roster needs to get better, and they need more playmakers. Why doesn’t he want to sacrifice Jones for a younger guy who may be able to infuse more energy onto the floor? Let’s take a look at why Champ is such a key member of the Cavs.

1. He is a great teammate.

LeBron has always talked about how Champ is such a great teammate.  He says that he works harder than anybody else and that he never complains about his role. Jones contributes in any way he can to help bring his team to a championship level. Out of all the players on last year’s Championship team, he won the NBPA (National Basketball Players’ Association) Teammate of the Year Award after not even playing in most of the games in the postseason.

Champ is a great locker room presence. Kevin Love calls him the best teammate he’s ever had, and he has talked about how Jones encouraged him and supported him when he wasn’t fitting in and things weren’t going well. Jones has also been credited with the idea for the 16-piece puzzle of the Larry O’Brien Trophy the Cavs used as motivation during their finals run. Champ’s leadership and teaching ability alone are worth his roster spot.

2. He has a minimum salary.

This is also a big plus for having him on the roster. With all the big contracts and egos on the team, the Cavs have to be able to round out their roster with guys who are happy with a limited role and a minimum contract. There aren’t many guys around the league willing to do that. Jones is not only ok with that role, he embraces it. He is the perfect example of a guy who sacrifices money and fame for the good of the team and to win championships.

3. He doesn’t need consistent minutes to be effective.

Many bench guys around the league tend to get rusty when they don’t play for long stretches or get consistent minutes, but because of his preparation, Champ is ready to fill in whenever he is needed. He can also play more minutes without needing a few games to work his way up because he keeps himself in great shape. After not playing more than seven minutes in a six-game stretch earlier this season, Champ started a game against the Suns for Kevin Love and scored 14 points in 20 minutes and shot 4-6 from three-point range. There are not many guys in the league who can do that when they aren’t getting consistent playing time.

4. He’s versatile and can play multiple positions.

At 6’8 and weighing 218 pounds, Jones is never the biggest guy on the floor during an NBA game, but he is pretty lanky for a shooting guard. Champ uses that length to adapt and play multiple positions when the team needs him to. When the Cavs were without Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving in the 2015-2016 NBA Finals, they needed a guy to step in and make up some of their minutes. They were also short on post players and were struggling to match up with the Warriors small, quick lineups. David Blatt used Jones for quite a few minutes at power forward in the series, and he filled in admirably. He actually helped the Cavs push the series to 6 games while playing a position where he had very little experience.

5. The guy can shoot.

The one thing that has never been questioned about James Jones is his ability to shoot the three. He has always been known as a lethal sharpshooter, and he is a great complement to guys who like to drive and dish like LeBron and Kyrie. After shooting 36% and 39% from three in his first two years with the Cavs, he is now shooting 56% from beyond the arc this year. Over his career, he has shot right around 40% from three. He doesn’t get a chance to go on big hot streaks often because of his limited playing time, but he is always ready to contribute whenever he is called upon.

Even though Champ is never going to be confused with an elite playmaker, he finds ways to contribute to a championship team in ways that most other players would never even think of. His selfless attitude and willingness to put his team first are virtually unmatched at the professional level. Even though many casual fans don’t even know who Champ is, he has had a major impact on six straight Eastern Conference Championship teams, and he had a big part in bringing last year’s Cavs team together to end Cleveland’s championship drought. If you don’t believe me, just ask LeBron and Kevin Love.