Jones was an All-Star in 1998 and a standout perimeter defender at shooting guard. However, with Kobe Bryant quickly maturing into an NBA superstar, the Lakers opted to use Jones as a trade asset instead of re-signing him once he hit free agency the following year.
After leaving Los Angeles for the Charlotte Hornets in 1999, Jones averaged 20 points and a league-leading 2.7 steals per game. In return for Jones, the Lakers received Glen Rice, J.R. Reid and B.J. Armstrong. Although Rice was part of the Lakers 2000 title run, none of those players returned the following season; only Rice was still in the league by the 2002-03 season.
Yet, considering the career trajectory of Kobe, the unnecessary swap of Jones for a trio of unremarkable Lakers can easily be overlooked. As far as mistakes go, this one is rather forgivable.
