He's 6'10, has a 7'2 wingspan, weighs in at 230lbs and belongs at the SF spot in the NBA with out of this world athleticism. What's not to like? Well...
It's certainly not his 50% FG. Probably not his 52% on 2 point shots. He's got some range, and while 30.2% from 3 isn't lighting the world on fire (nor is his 69.6% FT)...it's hardly laughable. His 7.6 rebounds per game is decent, and the 2.7 he got on the offensive glass are laudable. It's not his talent or his athleticism.
In his own words: “My motor. To be able to keep playing consistently throughout the entire 40 minutes of the game.”
That's why he passed up a possible Top 5 selection last year and came back to Baylor. And that's why there are even more concerns this year than there were last year. Part of the problem, of course, is that this is considered to be a much deeper draft. So Top 5 last year might barely be Top 10 for some of these guys (yes Harrison Barnes and Jared Sullinger, I'm talking to you guys.)
The other thing to not really like about Jones...what does he do well? C'mon, you've got to be able to find something he excels at, right? Not so much. The guy is sort of a jack of all trades. He's got smooth footwork in the post, but not enough strength to be consistently effective there. He's a decent shooter, but nothing special. (His shot selection has left a lot to be desired as he seems like he really wants to use the "Dirk" one legged fade away.)
Defensively, he has all the physical tools to be a great defender, particularly on the wing (where his lack of strength is much harder to exploit.) Mentally though, he already struggled some playing primarily in zone coverages, how's he going to do when he has to play man defense? He can get lost on the wing a bit at times and that doesn't bode well. Because if he does come to the NBA, he'll be asked to go against the likes of
Danny Granger,
Carmelo Anthony, Lebron James and some scrub named
Kevin Durant. Those aren't guys you can lose sight of for long...because the slightest hesitation is a bucket for the opponent.
As a SF, he should be a decent rebounder, but at Baylor, they wanted him to play PF/C. The idea of a Stretch 4 requires your guy to be out on the perimeter. That's not exactly how Baylor was using him though. They liked him down low where his lack of strength is easily exploitable.
Overall, there have been a lot of comparisons that this kid has been hyped up to be like. A more athletic
Lamar Odom or
Rashard Lewis. Believe it or not, that's something I can live with, because the added athleticism allows him to do just a little bit more than either guy ever could...and they have found their niche in the NBA. (Say what you want about Rashard Lewis, if you take out his bloated contract, his numbers aren't terrible...and that's without playing alongside a guy like Kyrie.)
There's a lot to like about the guy. And if I can't get MKG or Jeremy Lamb, I think I'd like to add him to the
Cavaliers Roster.
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