The three-point shooter/defender is an NBA staple, but for the Spurs it’s embedded even deeper into the team’s overall structure. San Antonio has such productive and intelligent stars that often all a role player has to do is camp in the corner on the offensive end, ready to fire, and play solid defense. Bruce Bowen is the classic example, but San Antonio has cycled through a number of guys since that have filled in similarly.
Next in line (or at least in the Spurs’ sights): James Jones, According to Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News, San Antonio will turn their attention to Jones after striking out on signing Raja Bell. Jones would obviously be a good fit for the Spurs; he’s a better shooter than Richard Jefferson (and a number of other role players SA has had over the years), a good -- but not great -- defender, and understands his role in both offensive and defensive systems. Discipline is so important in playing for San Antonio, and Jones isn’t the type to go rogue in his assignments on either end.
The Spurs won’t be alone in their pursuit of Jones, though. The Heat are no doubt interested in bringing him back, and the “one shooter away” mentality that seems to guide most NBA GMs could give him a landing spot just about anywhere in the league. James won’t break the bank, but he’ll get a decent deal for a few years (maybe with the Spurs, maybe not) to shoot and defend.