With injuries plaguing their frontcourt, the Mavericks had to get creative, turning to unproven talent to fill the void. Enter Kai Jones. Signed on a two-way deal, the 2021 19th overall pick has wasted no time proving his worth. After being waived by two teams, he’s seizing this fresh start in Dallas.

Despite a brief setback with a quad strain, Jones has made an instant impact. In just four games, he’s putting up 15.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per contest. What’s even more impressive? His efficiency. He’s knocked down 27 of his 30 shot attempts, an eye-popping 90 percent clip.

Just as Jones was making waves with the Mavericks, bad luck struck. He got injured early in Thursday’s matchup against the Magic, cutting his night short before he could build on his momentum. Jones was putting on a show early in the first quarter. He sent Franz Wagner’s shot flying with a monster block, then immediately sprinted the floor to throw down a lob from Naji Marshall. But then came the landing—hard and awkward. Jones hit the floor on his backside, and the momentum stopped just like that.

Moments later, he was on his way to the locker room, bringing his night to an abrupt and frustrating end. Jones wrapped up his night with a brief but efficient stat line—seven minutes on the court, four points on a perfect 2-for-2 shooting, five boards, and a block.

His energy and efficiency haven’t gone unnoticed, particularly by his teammates. Anthony Davis, who has benefited from playing alongside a true center, spoke highly of what Jones brings to the floor.

Anthony Davis can finally play his preferred position thanks to Kai Jones

Davis has been vocal about how playing alongside a true center like Kai Jones has changed the game for him. After the Mavericks’ win over the Nets, he broke it down in simple terms—having Jones in the paint forces defenses to pick their poison. “Are you going to step up and help on me, leaving him open for dunks? Or are you staying home on shooters like Klay, PJ, and Spencer?” Davis explained. Either way, the Mavericks get an advantage.

This setup is exactly what Davis wanted in L.A. but never fully got. With Jones handling business inside, Davis can play his natural position at the four, stretching the floor and attacking without constantly battling bigger centers. He also couldn’t help but praise Jones’ ridiculous bounce, even pointing out how he almost hit his head on the backboard catching a lob.

And Jones is proving he belongs. The big man put up 13 points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting night, grabbed nine boards, and gave Dallas the kind of inside presence they’ve been missing. That’s a wild turnaround for someone who was out of the league just two years into his NBA career. Now, he’s making a real case for the Mavericks to keep him beyond this season—especially if they decide to shake up their frontcourt. More importantly, he’s showing the entire NBA that, in the right system, he can be a legit rotation player.