Jones' Unlikely Path to Two Titles
Dillon Jones, a 24-year-old forward, has signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, as reported by ESPN's Dave McMenamin. This non-guaranteed deal gives him a chance to compete for a roster spot or a two-way slot during training camp, with a bonus if he is assigned to the G League affiliate. Jones previously won back-to-back NBA championships with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2025 and the New York Knicks in 2026.[S1]
Jones was drafted 26th overall by the Washington Wizards in 2024 out of Weber State. He was traded to the Knicks and then to the Thunder, where he appeared in 54 regular-season games as a rookie and scored 23 points across three Finals appearances as the Thunder beat Indiana for the title. He was later traded back to Washington, waived before playing, and bounced through the G League before New York signed him to a two-way contract in January 2026.[S1]
Joining a Star-Studded Roster
The signing places Jones in the same building as LeBron James for the first time, as James begins a new chapter with Philadelphia after leaving the Lakers in free agency. The 76ers are building a roster around James, Joel Embiid, and Jaylen Brown for a championship run. Jones, who played sparingly for the Knicks, was on the bench for their historic playoff run, watching them beat San Antonio in five games to end a 53-year championship drought.[S1]
On the same day as Jones' announcement, Philadelphia and the Flyers unveiled the first architectural renderings of their new arena in South Philadelphia, set to open in 2030 on the site of the old Spectrum. This represents a long-term organizational bet on the city, even as the team makes an aggressive short-term bet on a championship.[S1]
Uncertain Future, Remarkable Career
Whether Jones makes the regular-season roster or ends up back in the G League remains uncertain. However, his career is already remarkable: he became just the second player in Big Sky Conference history to reach an NBA Finals, and the first to win one twice. A year after being waived, he now has two championship rings and a training camp invite to play alongside the league's all-time scoring leader.[S1]
