Regardless of whom the Oklahoma City Thunder tab as their new coach, the team should strongly consider an increased role for Perry Jones next season. The 23-year-old forward has been buried on the bench for most of his three-year career, but his unique blend of size, shooting touch and athleticism could make him a valuable asset in the Thunder rotation.Under former coach Scott Brooks, playing time was hard to come by for the Baylor product. In three seasons, Jones has never logged more than 14.7 minutes per game. In fact, despite injuries decimating the Thunder roster throughout this season, Jones’ minutes dwindled with each passing month, with him being passed over by Lance Thomas and Kyle Singler.Injuries played a role in Jones being unable to crack the rotation, as he dealt with knee and ankle troubles throughout the year. The inability to stay healthy has hindered Jones for his entire career dating back to the 2012 NBA draft, when concerns about his knee dropped him from a potential lottery pick to the bottom of the first round.That made for a disappointing end to what started out as a potential breakout year. Jones averaged 15 points in his first five games as Kevin Durant’s fill-in, but all of the fire he built up was extinguished by a knee contusion suffered on Nov. 4.When he returned a month later, the lack of a consistent role made it tough for him to regain the same rhythm he found earlier in the season. Still, in his exit interview, Jones was confident he can still make an impact in the pros:“I still think I can be an impact (player) in the league. That’s just with all the hard work I’ve been doing after practice, during practice. I’ve been gaining confidence during practice guarding Russ and things like that over the past month or so. So, I’m very confident still.”Next season should give Jones a second lease on life in the NBA. The uncertain health of Durant’s surgically-repaired foot opens up a need for a quality backup, and the coaching change gives Jones another chance to make a first impression after failing to seize that key reserve role the team needed him to fill during his time in OKC.Jones’ hot start this season was a glimpse of what he can do when he’s healthy and given an increased role. He still has some work to do to become a more complete player, but the flaws in his game can be fixed with the right amount of commitment from the new coaching staff.