Kai Jones, Turkish club agree to two-year contract extension

Former NBA big man Kai Jones is sticking overseas.

Jones has signed a two-year extension with Anadolu Efes, the team announced. It’s a solid bit of continuity for a player who has spent the past few seasons bouncing between opportunity and uncertainty.

A former first-round pick in 2021, Jones technically has four years of NBA experience, even if the path hasn’t been linear. He appeared in 40 games last season split between the Clippers and Mavericks, averaging 5.0 points and 3.1 rebounds in limited minutes while finishing nearly everything he touched around the rim.

That efficiency has carried over to Europe. In 26 EuroLeague games with Efes, Jones is averaging 3.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in just over 14 minutes per night. He doesn’t shoot much — fewer than two attempts per game — but when he does, it goes in. He’s converted 45 of his 47 field-goal attempts this season.

Jones was briefly back on the NBA radar last summer, including a workout with the Heat, and had been close to signing with Virtus Bologna before landing with Efes instead. The extension suggests both sides see value in keeping the arrangement going.