Perry

Jones

Jones, still just 27-years-old, was once lauded as a steal when he was drafted by the Thunder late in the first round in 2012. Unfortunately for him, he was drafted into a team that had Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, leaving very little opportunity for him. Jones had the best stretch of his career playing in place of an injured Durant in 2014, but he was never able to recapture that form after suffering multiple injuries himself. It’s unlikely that he finds a role in the NBA to make him fantasy relevant, but someone with Jones’ talent and skill set should be able to find a lucrative opportunity somewhere overseas.

Jones is 6'11/235, but blocked just 0.6 shots per game at the college level. He’s really a guard trapped in a power forward’s body and questions about his motor are going cost him on draft day. “I don’t think he knows how to score,” said one NBA exec. “When he shoots, he should pass. When he passes, he should shoot. When he jumps, he should head fake. ... He just doesn’t have any feel for the game.”

Jones has the kind of talent that NBA scouts drool over. At 6'11/235, he has guard-like skills on the offensive end. The problem is his hesitancy to bang on the interior and sometime lack of focus. Jones is currently projected in the top-10, well behind the likes of fellow big men Anthony Davis, Thomas Robinson and Andre Drummond.

“Hopefully somebody will have faith in me, just like I have faith in myself,” he said. Scouts question Jones’ attitude and performance on the court, but there is no questioning his upside if he can fulfill his potential. Projected as a lottery pick, Jones is the definition of a boom-or-bust prospect.

This is a big workout for the Pistons as it will likely go a long way toward determining what the team does with its No. 9 pick on draft night. Speculation has been swirling that the Pistons are ready to hop on Henson should he remain available, but the club could certainly go in another direction as well. With just 72 hours until draft day, Henson has a chance to solidify himself as the Pistons’ top target.

Fraschilla was clear to say that his comment didn’t mean that Jones was destined to be the second-most productive player in the class, but on talent and upside alone, it’s clear that Jones presents some serious intrigue.

Jones decided to return to school for his sophomore year and it’s going to cost him. After a somewhat disappointing year that brought up questions about his basketball IQ and motor, he’s now slotted in the back half of the lottery. Still, fantasy owners should be aware that based on raw talent, Jones is elite.

The Raptors could consider any of the three prospects with the No. 8 overall pick, but we’d be surprised if they took any of those three players. With Andrea Bargnani and 2011 No. 5 pick Jonas Valanciunas in the fold, the Raptors would be better served by drafting someone who can help them on the wing.

Both players could very well be on the board when the Bucks are on the clock at No. 12 overall. Each have rather volatile draft stocks, but both should be selected inside the top 20. The Bucks were previously rumored to be interested in drafting a center, so it will be interesting to see if this workout has any impact on the team’s course of action.

Jones III is one of the more intriguing fantasy prospects, as he was originally thought to be a top 10 pick before a late slide all the way down to 28th overall. He is one of the most talented players coming out of this year’s draft, but often gets criticized for not having a full-go motor. Landing with the Thunder to learn behind Serge Ibaka and Kevin Durant will give Jones III a chance to really develop and some say he may end up as the steal of the draft when all is said and done.