Most of the league had to do a double-take when the Orlando Magic trotted out their starting lineup for Game 1 of their playoff series with the Boston Celtics.
How in the world was an actual playoff team starting veteran Cory Joseph in the Playoffs? How could a team compete with a journeyman guard who was almost always considered a fill-in, even in his prime, make the Playoffs?
It was seen as a sign of how desperately the Magic needed a point guard. More than anything, because of all the injuries they had, the team had no choice but to start Joseph.
Those who watched the team understood that Joeph was essential to the Magic's playoff run. With Jalen Suggs out for the year with a knee injury, the team was desperate for stability and calm from the point guard position.
That was something the Magic needed to find as they looked out in the free-agent market and looked to add to the team. Especially with the urgency the team is facing to compete now.
Finding a point guard was paramount, even if the Magic were not going to find one for their starting lineup.
In steps Tyus Jones. After the success the team had with Joseph, the Magic are aiming to get the same stability and calm that Joseph provided. It could be vital to their success.
"I'm just trying to be a positive addition," Jones said in July. "Ultimately, as a leader, that's what I do on and off the court. That comes with the job title of being a point guard. I'm trying to learn my guys on and off the court, learn coach [Jamahl] Mosley's system and be an extension of him on the court. Leading is what I do and I'm looking forward to being a voice in the locker room."
The stability of a point guard
The Orlando Magic have struggled to find a point guard who can manage and run the team. It seems the Magic have been careful to develop and grow a particular kind of team. One that seems to exist without a traditional guard.
Orlando does not want to do too much to take the ball out of the hands of their two young playmakers in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. They have grown those two players to be the lead decision-makers.
Still, everyone can recognize the power a point guard can have. Someone who can bring the ball up the floor, organize the team, distribute shots and manage the team is a huge advantage. It is an intangible skill that is hard to quantify.
Orlando clearly benefited from a guard like Cory Joseph.
Joseph became vital to turning the season around, starting 15 of the final 16 games (he and most of the staters sat out the season finale in Atlanta) as Orlando went 11-4 to rally to the 7-seed and a home game in the Play-In Tournament.
With Joseph on the floor in the final 15 games, the Magic went from a season average of 103.8 points per 100 possessions to 115.6. The Magic had an overall offensive rating of 114.7 points per 100 possessions during that stretch.
Lineup stability and relative health had a lot to do with the team's success. But Joseph's stability and management was a big piece of the puzzle. Orlando does not secure its playoff spot without him.
That is what the team hopes to get from Tyus Jones.
Orlando signed the veteran point guard to a one-year deal, worth a reported $7 million, to give the team a boost off the bench. He is their security blanket and the backstop the team needs. The Magic need the kind of stability Jones gave, they saw how successful it was with Joseph in the lineup.
"Just trying to be a calming voice," Jones said of his role when he spoke to the media in July. "I've been around a number of different situations. Just trying to bring some of that experience to this locker room. We have everything in this building that we need. I'm just trying to add on to that and not disrupt anything."
They hope Jones can bring that kind of stability to the team this year when they need it.
Jones adds efficiency and stability
Tyus Jones' biggest selling point has always been his efficiency.
He averaged 10.2 points per game last year on 41.4 percent shooting from three. He is indeed one of the most efficient passers in the league, averaging 5.3 assists per game against 1.1 turnovers per game last year. Last year marked just the second season in his 10-year career that he averaged more than one turnover per game.
Jones is known as a great game manager. He is not going to try to do too much. That is probably what stands out. He does the simple exceptionally well.
And the Magic will need that stability.
"One of our stated goals was to add skill, playmaking, shooting, obviously," president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said. "Tyus has carved a niche for himself. I think he has led the league in assist-to-turnover ratio for the last five years. More than that, he has a league-wide reputation of being just a stellar person in the locker room, off the court, in the community. I think his leadership will have an impact on our team in addition to everything he will bring to bear on the court."
These are things the Magic needed. Jones fits many of the boxes the team has -- his size is his only downside and a reason he is likely coming off the bench.
What stands out most about Jones is how little he wants to stand out. What works about him and how he manages and will help this team grow is that he just wants to facilitate for everyone. Jones will be a calming presence because he knows how to do the simple things really well.
Jones may be coming off the bench with the Magic's starting lineup fully locked in, but his impact will be felt throughout every game and the season. He should be a source of stability and calm whenever he is in.