Dillon Jones has won championships in each of his first two NBA seasons, but the Philadelphia 76ers’ latest signing must now fight simply to keep his place in the league.
The 24-year-old forward has joined Philadelphia on an Exhibit 10 contract and will compete for a roster position during training camp.
Jones arrives with championship rings from the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 2025 title and the New York Knicks’ 2026 triumph, creating one of the strangest early résumés in recent NBA history.
He is now joining an ambitious Sixers organisation featuring LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
However, the signing does not guarantee Jones will play alongside them during the regular season.
Jones Joins Philadelphia on Non-Guaranteed Deal
ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin revealed that Jones had accepted an Exhibit 10 agreement with Philadelphia.
“Back-to-back champ Dillon Jones signed with the 76ers to an Exhibit 10 contract, a team source told ESPN,” McMenamin reported.
“He’ll be a part of Philly’s training camp later this month.”
An Exhibit 10 contract is normally a one-year, non-guaranteed minimum-salary agreement.
It allows the Sixers to evaluate Jones during camp before deciding whether to retain him on the standard roster, convert his contract into a two-way agreement or waive him.
The arrangement can also provide Jones with a financial bonus if he is released and subsequently spends the required period with Philadelphia’s G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats.
Jones therefore has an opportunity rather than a secure NBA position.
He joins Tacko Fall, Jameer Nelson Jr. and Saint Thomas among the Sixers players reportedly signed to Exhibit 10 contracts this offseason.
Each will enter camp knowing that Philadelphia cannot retain everyone.
Jones Has Won Everywhere Without Establishing Himself
Jones’ championship record is remarkable.
Every NBA team he has represented has won the title during the season in which he played for it.
The Washington Wizards selected Jones with the 26th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft before trading his rights to Oklahoma City on draft night.
He appeared in 54 regular-season games as a rookie, averaging 2.5 points and 2.2 rebounds in approximately 10 minutes per appearance.
Jones also received limited minutes during Oklahoma City’s playoff run and appeared in three NBA Finals games as the Thunder defeated Indiana.
He was not an important member of the championship rotation, but he was part of a deep roster and received genuine NBA experience during his rookie season.
Oklahoma City subsequently traded him to Washington, where he was waived before playing a game.
Jones then moved through several G League teams before signing a two-way contract with New York in January 2026.
He appeared in only seven regular-season games for the Knicks and did not play during their postseason run because players on two-way contracts are ineligible for the playoffs.
He nevertheless spent the season with the organisation and collected his second championship after New York defeated San Antonio in five games.
Jones is consequently a legitimate back-to-back champion without having established himself as a permanent NBA player.
G League Improvement Earned Another Opportunity
Philadelphia’s interest is based upon more than Jones’ unusual championship history.
His performances in the G League demonstrated meaningful development.
Jones averaged 15.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.1 assists across 18 appearances for the Westchester Knicks last season.
He shot approximately 43 per cent from the field and 38 per cent from three-point range.
The improved perimeter shooting is particularly significant.
Jones made only 32 per cent of his three-point attempts across four college seasons at Weber State and has remained below 25 per cent during his limited NBA opportunities.
His G League accuracy improved from approximately 27.5 per cent during his first professional season to around 37 per cent across his second campaign.
That progress does not prove he has become a reliable NBA shooter.
The shorter sample and lower level of defensive pressure must be considered.
It does show that Jones has developed a skill capable of changing his career if it translates against NBA opposition.
Jones’ Versatility Could Appeal to Philadelphia
Jones is listed at approximately 6-foot-5 and built strongly enough to defend multiple positions.
He was a productive rebounder and secondary creator at Weber State, where he demonstrated an ability to initiate offence rather than operating solely as a traditional wing.
That versatility gives Philadelphia several ways to evaluate him.
The Sixers can use Jones as a secondary ball-handler, test him against larger wings and determine whether his improved shooting allows him to play away from the ball.
A player competing for the final roster positions does not need to become a primary scorer.
He must defend, make quick decisions, hit open shots and contribute without demanding possessions from the team’s stars.
Philadelphia already has more than enough players capable of controlling the offence.
James, Maxey, Brown and Embiid will dominate the ball whenever they are available.
Jones’ pathway therefore depends on proving that he can complement elite players rather than reproducing the high-usage role he filled in the G League.
Winning Experience Should Not Be Exaggerated
Describing Jones as a back-to-back champion is factually accurate.
Using those championships as proof that he can strengthen Philadelphia’s rotation would be misleading.
Jones played only a minor role for Oklahoma City and was not eligible to participate in New York’s postseason.
The Thunder and Knicks did not win championships because of him.
His experience inside two successful organisations may still carry value.
Jones has observed the preparation, accountability and defensive commitment required to survive deep into the playoffs.
He has trained beside players competing for championships and experienced the pressure that accompanies the NBA Finals.
Those lessons may help him during Philadelphia’s camp.
They will not earn him a roster position if he cannot defend consistently or make open three-pointers.
Sixers Have Created a Fierce Training-Camp Battle
Jones becomes the fourth player added to Philadelphia’s training-camp group on an Exhibit 10 agreement.
Fall offers extraordinary size and specialist rim protection.
Nelson produced strong offensive numbers in the G League, although his family connection to Sixers executive Jameer Nelson will attract additional scrutiny.
Thomas already understands Philadelphia’s development system after spending last season with the Blue Coats.
Jones may be the most versatile option.
He is younger than Fall, possesses more NBA experience than Nelson and has already demonstrated significant creation and rebounding ability in the G League.
His guaranteed competition will extend beyond the other Exhibit 10 signings.
Philadelphia has assembled a deep roster around its stars, leaving few obvious opportunities for a developmental forward to earn regular minutes.
The Sixers could also decide that Jones is more valuable as a leading Blue Coats player than as the final man on their NBA bench.
LeBron’s Arrival Has Changed Every Sixers Decision
Philadelphia’s offseason has completely altered the expectations surrounding the franchise.
James accepted a dramatic pay cut to join a roster already transformed by the acquisition of Brown.
Combining those two stars with Embiid and Maxey gives the Sixers one of the NBA’s most talented groups.
That talent makes the margins of the roster increasingly important.
Philadelphia cannot rely upon its four biggest names to remain healthy and play heavy minutes throughout the season.
James is entering his 24th NBA campaign, while Embiid’s availability has repeatedly shaped the Sixers’ championship prospects.
Coach Nick Nurse will need dependable role players capable of maintaining defensive standards and surviving short stretches without the team’s stars.
Jones does not need to become a featured player to justify his contract.
If he can defend multiple positions, rebound and shoot efficiently, he could provide inexpensive depth around a roster carrying several enormous salaries.
The Exhibit 10 structure allows Philadelphia to investigate that possibility without making a substantial financial commitment.
Philadelphia Also Unveils Its Long-Term Future
Jones’ signing arrived as the Sixers and Philadelphia Flyers unveiled the first exterior renderings of their proposed new South Philadelphia arena.
The venue is planned for the former Spectrum grounds and is scheduled to open in 2030.
It would become the home of the Sixers, Flyers and Philadelphia’s new WNBA expansion team, while also hosting concerts and other events.
The organisations describe the project as the largest fully privately funded development in Philadelphia’s history and claim it could create almost 15,000 jobs and generate nearly US$6 billion in economic activity across its first decade.
Those projections come from the project’s proponents and will depend upon planning approval, construction and the arena operating as intended.
Several details, including the final cost and aspects of the interior design, are still to be confirmed.
The renderings nevertheless represent a significant step in the Sixers’ long-term commitment to remaining in South Philadelphia.
Jones Must Win a Job Before Chasing a Third Ring
Philadelphia is attempting to win immediately while simultaneously building the physical home it expects to occupy from 2030.
Jones occupies a far less secure position within those plans.
His two championship rings create a brilliant story, but they will not protect him when the Sixers reduce their roster before opening night.
Jones must prove his improved shooting is genuine, demonstrate that he can defend NBA players and show he can contribute without dominating the ball.
If he succeeds, he could move from the edge of the league into a role alongside James, Brown, Maxey and Embiid.
If he falls short, Philadelphia can waive him and retain his rights within its G League system.
Jones has somehow become a two-time NBA champion before earning a permanent NBA position.
His next challenge is ensuring his third season lasts long enough to give him a chance at an almost unbelievable three-peat.
