Celtics newcomer Jones welcomes roster competition

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WALTHAM, Mass. – When it comes to the NBA, there are only so many chances players long on potential will get before teams will just as soon cut their losses.

Which brings us to one of the newest Celtics, Perry Jones. As he made the rounds at Boston’s Media Day on Friday, you can’t help but be impressed by the chiseled frame spread over his 6-foot-11 body.

And when you watch him play - a player with that kind of size handling the ball like a guard - you quickly see why the Celtics would be interested in him despite already having a full roster.

For Jones, being traded to Boston from Oklahoma City affords him an opportunity to start fresh, a chance to perform his way into playing a meaningful role and do so without having to leapfrog a superstar in his prime along the way.

“It’s a great opportunity,” Jones told CSNNE.com. “It’s a lot of guys on the roster. That’s just going to make the competition that much better. Guys are going to be fighting for playing time and minutes; that’s good.”

And while the chances of him playing are greater now that he’s no longer in the shadow of former league MVP Kevin Durant, Jones has been in the league long enough to not take anything for granted when it comes to playing time.

“It’s the NBA. It’s the best league,” said Jones, the 28th overall pick in the 2012 draft, which featured fellow Celtics Tyler Zeller (17th overall) and Jared Sullinger (21st overall). “Just because I’m not trying to beat out a superstar, it doesn’t get any easier. It’s going to be just as hard when I first came into the league. Everybody has something to prove on a day-to-day basis.”

Jones’ first real shot at playing significant minutes came at the start of last season when Durant was out with a foot injury.

The fourth-year Jones found himself in the Oklahoma City starting lineup on opening night.

Jones was brutal in the game, scoring just three points on 1-for-9 shooting while the Thunder (who were also without key reserves Reggie Jackson and Anthony Morrow) wound up losing, 106-89.

That performance seemed to be the wake-up call Jones needed as he followed that with the best three-game stretch in the NBA.

In those three games, he averaged 22.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 52.2 percent from the field and 41.2 percent on 3s.

Against Toronto, Jones’ strong play came to a screeching halt when he sustained a bruised knee. He would eventually return to the lineup but was never quite the same high-impact performer he was just prior to the injury.

Still, those early season games provided Jones with a much-needed jolt of confidence.

“I know I can play in this league,” Jones said when asked what was the best part of his fast start last season. “I just want to bring it here to Boston and do the best I can and get some wins.”

There’s no question Jones comes into training camp with plenty of incentive and motivation to perform well.

And the fact that Boston has 16 players in camp with guaranteed contracts - one above the league-maximum - Jones may find himself playing for more than just minutes.

He’s fighting to stay in the NBA, too.

Aware of this, Jones said he doesn’t feel any added pressure coming into camp.

“Even if it wasn’t like that, it would be the same motivation,” he said. “Everyone in this gym wearing the green loves this game. They would do whatever it took even if it wasn’t like that. Everybody is going to fight, or they’re not going to be here.”

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