James Jones Reportedly Leaving Suns' Front Office to Replace Joe Dumars as NBA EVP

After being replaced as Phoenix Suns general manager earlier this offseason, James Jones is reportedly moving on to a new role.

According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, Jones has been tabbed to replace Joe Dumars as the NBA's new Executive Vice President and Head of Basketball Operations.

The role in the NBA front office opened up after Dumars joined the New Orleans Pelicans as Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations in April.

The former six-time All-Star NBA guard had served as the league's Executive Vice President and Head of Basketball Operations since 2022. Prior to that, Dumars served as special advisor to the general manager for the Sacramento Kings in 2019 before being promoted to the team's chief strategy officer the following year. He also served as president of the Detroit Pistons from 2000 to 2014, earning NBA Executive of the Year honors in 2003 and winning an NBA championship in 2004.

Like Dumars, Jones enjoyed a successful playing career before transitioning to an executive role. He was a three-time NBA champion with the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Upon his retirement, he was named director of player personnel for the Suns in 2017. He was promoted to interim GM in 2018 before receiving the permanent role the following year.

Jones helped institute a swift change in Phoenix, as the franchise went 34-39 in 2019-20 before making the jump to 51-21 in 2020-21 and making an NBA Finals appearance that year. He was named NBA Executive of the Year in 2021, but the Suns struggled to achieve similar success in subsequent seasons, failing to make it past the conference semifinals since their NBA Finals appearance.

After a disastrous 2024-25 season in which Phoenix went 36-46 and missed the playoffs for the first time in five years, Jones was demoted to senior advisor and replaced by Brian Gregory as the GM. It didn't take long for him to decide that position wasn't for him, so he certainly will be motivated to tackle a new challenge by joining the NBA's front office.