Tre Jones forgoed the 2019 NBA Draft to improve his 2020 NBA Draft stock, and it seems to have been the right move. As a sophomore, Jones averaged 16.2 PPG, 6.4 APG, 4.2 RPG, 1.8 SPG, and 2.7 TOPG on shooting splits of 42/36/77. The two-way point guard shows promise as one of the most immediate impact players in a stacked point guard class. Full scouting report below:
Name: Tre Jones
Height/Weight: 6’3/185
Wingspan/ standing reach: 6’5/ 8’5
Hand size: 9.25
Position: PG
College/ country: Duke
Tools: Defense, playmaking, IQ
Pros:
- Excellent defender- quick reaction time + lateral movement
- Improved jump shot form as a sophomore- added arc and quick release
- Plays the passing lanes well
- Great vision
- Good P&R playmaker
- Plus feel for the game
- Growing pull up shooter
- Comfortable with both hands
Cons:
- Limited athleticism; plays below the rim
- Needs to continue improving shooting consistency
- Unlikely to rise up and shoot over defenders
Overall:
Tre Jones is a two-way point guard from Duke that drastically improved his offensive game in his sophomore season. Jones is at his best offensively using screens, whether it be taking the correct angles to the basket off of screens or finding open teammates out of the pick & roll. Jones’ improved jump shot as a sophomore greatly opened up his playmaking, making it hard for defenses to drop to the rim and also having to guard his jump shot more closely. His shooting improvement came largely in part due to an increased arc put on his shot. Last year, his shot was mostly flat and a line-drive, but this season both his arc and follow-through improved towards the norm. While he may not be more than an average shooter, defenses will not be able to afford to leave him alone from 3.
Defensively, Jones does about as much as a GM can hope a relatively unathletic 6’3 point guard with a mild frame can do. He’s strong on drives, he can handle bigger ball-handlers, has quick reflexes, and he makes extraordinary reads off-ball, which helps him thrive in the passing lanes. Defense is likely to be Jones’ calling card early in his NBA career.
NBA Comparison: Floor: Shelvin Mack; ceiling: Derrick White
Projected draft range: 21-45
Fit with Mavs:
The Mavs need a low-usage, defensive minded point guard alongside Luka Doncic to make his life easier, and Tre Jones is just that. While he likely would be a 2nd/3rd point guard, the Mavs use several point guards each game, making his role more impactful in Dallas than in most other places. If Dallas could develop him to his fullest offensively, while keeping him on an NBA workout routine, he could be a key glue-piece for the Mavs as they compete for significant playoff runs in the future.
Other strong fits for Jones include Philadelphia, Toronto, Charlotte, Washington, and Orlando. His wide range makes all of those teams plausible destinations where he can be of immediate service to add to winning basketball. While Jones can help improve a rebuilding team, he is likely best-served on a team already in a playoff position, due to the dire need of players that can defend point guards at a respectable level.
Shot chart:
