The Untold Journey of Jim Chones: Life After the Lakers Trade in Winning Time Season 2

Summary

The HBO series "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty" portrays Jim Chones' trade to the Washington Bullets as a source of distress. However, contrary to the depiction, Chones was actually thrilled about the opportunity to be in closer proximity to his hometown of Cleveland.

After joining the Washington Bullets, Chones experienced a decline in his career, recording all-time lows in points, rebounds, and assists. This underwhelming season stood out as an anomaly in an otherwise prosperous trajectory.

Upon retiring from professional basketball, Chones transitioned into a role as a TV and radio analyst. He notably collaborated with his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and was recognized with induction into the prestigious Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.

HBO's "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty" portrays the actual trade of NBA player Jim Chones. Chones, a key member of the 1979 Lakers team that won an NBA title with the emerging duo of Jerry Buss and Magic Johnson, is traded to the Washington Bullets, where he finishes his career. Despite playing a significant role in the 1980-81 Lakers season, logging 2562 minutes on the court throughout all 82 games, Chones' trade comes as a surprise since he had played in every game that year.

In episode 3 of season 2, "Winning Time" delves into the inner workings of the Showtime Lakers' front office following their disappointing 1980-81 season. The show depicts Chones as enraged upon learning about his trade to Washington, slamming Coach Paul Westhead's door and expressing his anger towards Lakers management. However, in reality, Chones initially felt sadness over the news but later found solace in the move to Washington, D.C., as it brought him closer to his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. Unfortunately, Chones' career never reaches the same heights as his time with the Los Angeles Lakers after the trade.

Jim Chones Played One NBA Season With The Washington Bullets

Jim Chones Retired From The NBA In 1983 & Became A TV/Radio Analyst

In the 1981-82 NBA season, Chones joined the Washington Bullets, coinciding with his former team's eighth NBA Championship victory. During his time with the Bullets, who later became the Wizards in 1997, Chones played 59 games and had a career-low average of 3.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game, contributing to the team's overall 14.7 points per game. This season stood out as an anomaly in an otherwise highly successful professional basketball career for Chones. Across his tenure in both the ABA and NBA, he maintained an average of 12.3 points and 8.3 rebounds over 620 games. Following his stint with the Bullets, Chones briefly played overseas in Italy before retiring from professional basketball in 1983.

After retiring from his basketball career, Chones quickly transitioned into becoming a prominent television and radio analyst. He dedicated eleven seasons to his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and was initially known for his role as a postgame radio analyst in 2007. Additionally, Chones made significant contributions to the 2010-11 radio play-by-play announcements when Joe Trait, the long-time radio host, was unable to participate due to illness. Notably, Chones' daughter, Kaayla Chones, also had a successful career as a professional basketball player. In recognition of his achievements, Chones was inducted into the Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.