Perry Jones seemed to be sliding down draft boards in recent weeks, but we all attributed that to the risks that come with taking him — he has the physical gifts to match anyone in this draft but he didn’t show them consistently on the court. There are questions about his drive, his commitment, his fit.
But there may also be concerns about his knee.
From Chad Ford at ESPN.Multiple league sources say that NBA team doctors are concerned about a meniscus issue in Baylor forward Perry Jones III’s knee.
While opinions vary among NBA doctors on the ramifications of the issue, some teams feel that the knee could be an issue down the road and at some point in the future require surgery. Not all teams have the same degree of alarm, but the concerns have caused Jones’ stock to slide from the mid-to-late lottery portion of the draft down into the late teens and early 20s of the round.
This seems less serious a concern than what has Jared Sullinger plummeting down boards. However, when you combine concerns about his mental makeup it may well scare off GMs who look at the board and see other players that they like.
I will add this, by the time you get to the late teens or 20s, both Jones and Sullinger become risks well worth taking.