The payoffs in the Eastern Conference delivered special moments this season as the conference looked a lot more competitive than in recent years. However, the brutal Achilles tears to three stars in East — Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum, and Tyrese Haliburton — have now busted the conference wide open.
While the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks were among the top seeds in the East, Haliburton’s Indiana Pacers took the conference crown after a magical run. With all three teams missing a focal point, there is still uncertainty over how these teams will perform during the upcoming season.
For the rest of the East, however, it means that the race is on. And with Orlando Magic having solved their point guard dilemma, it’s safe to say head coach Jamahl Mosley has enough pieces for a deep playoff run.
Is Tyus Jones the Last Piece to the Orlando Magic Puzzle?
After playing Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony, two talented guards who struggle to facilitate, at point guard for much of the season, an offseason acquisition was necessary. Magic fans finally got their wish as the team agreed to a one-year, $7 million deal with former Phoenix Suns point guard Tyus Jones.
Tyus Jones on Instagram: “Orlando we on the wayyy 💙🤍🖤 pic.twitter.com/ZmlieYl7vO
— Jason Beede (@therealBeede) July 1, 2025
Jones shared his excitement about the deal by posting the news on his Instagram story, captioning it “Orlando we on the wayyy.” Orlando will be Jones’ fifth team in the league, having been drafted in 2015, and he will sign on a veteran minimum deal.
Jones has displayed an exceptional assist-to-turnover ratio, highlighting his reliability in running the offense. And while his forte remains in running the offense, he is also coming off a season in Phoenix where he made a career-high 41.4% of his threes on five attempts per game, making him a threat from beyond the arc.
MORE: NBA Free Agency Tracker 2025
Jones’ shooting will surely please Orlando as the Magic ranked last in 3-point percentage across the NBA and will look to improve upon the stat with their newest acquisitions. Acquired in a trade from the Memphis Grizzlies in June, shooting guard Desmond Bane will be joining Jones in the backcourt and has shot 41% from deep as a pro.
The acquisition of two shooting threats is also likely to improve the spacing on the floor for the Magic, opening up the paint for All-Star Paolo Banchero, who continues to get better with every passing season.
This instantly turns Orlando into one of the most exciting teams in the league considering not just the quality it has but also the youth of its core. And with a veteran like Jones running the show now, things could turn around quickly for the Magic.
Should put more focus on developing Black at point guard..
Funny…..they were looking for a point guard that could shoot and facilitate when they HAD Cole. This is a definite upgrade
This has zero context. The reason they signed Jones is because they traded Cole Anthony.
They wanted Jones last year with Cole..Cole is not a true point..