Tre Jones: NBA Draft Scouting Report & Analysis

Tre Jones' vitals:

Overview

OFFENSE Jones projects as a game-manager point guard at the NBA level. He is a good decision maker and has solid physical tools and passing vision. Jones has an effective midrange pullup, and he has promise as a potential catch-and-shoot 3pt shooter. Jones lacks the dynamic athleticism and scoring skills to be a primary initiator in the NBA. Rather, he projects to fill the Mario Chalmers or Matthew Dellavedova role: hit open 3s, attack closeouts, and keep the ball moving.

Jones success in this role will be determined by his ability to make catch-and-shoots 3s. I predict that he will because I buy his form.

DEFENSE

Jones is a tenacious defender who doggedly pressures the ball. Jones' instincts and decision-making on team defense are good. He flashes generally sound defensive technique guarding the pick and roll, however he does have occasions of failing to get over a screen or properly execute an ICE coverage. Jones' physical tools limit his defensive ceiling. He lacks the quickness to contain the best point guards, and, given his size, he profiles as a one-position defender.

In sum, Jones projects as an above-average NBA point guard on defense, but he is unlikely to be a true game changer.

Projections

Best case:Jones consistently takes and makes catch-and-shoot 3s. He takes several a game and hits them at an around 36-37% rate. Teams are not terrified of him shooting, but they have to contest him. The versatility of his shot is limited - he generally doesn't shoot off movement, and he is an inconsistent pullup threat from 3. He attacks closeouts well, threatens defenses with his midrange pullup, and distributes well to his teammates. Although he is a positive offensive player, he is not a primary initiator and does not shoulder a high usage rate on offense.

Jones is a good NBA defender.. He tones back some of his aggressive pressure defense from college and focuses more on simply containing the ball. He becomes a very technically sound PNR defender and executes team defensive coverages well. Jones is a positive help defender who knows where to be, although he never develops into a high level defensive playmaker. Jones is a good man defender, but is never a stopper against the quickest players, and he is limited to guarding point guards and small shooting guards.

Jones' game translates well to playing with better teammates. He hits open shots on offense, attacks closeouts, and keeps the ball moving. He embraces his role and defers to better teammates. He is a 20-25 minute per game player on a good team.

Most likely: Jones shot is not broken. He hits 3s at around 33-35%. However, his release is fairly slow and while defenses get a token contest on Jones, they do not close out hard on him. This somewhat limits Jones playmaking, with teams playing off, his overall efficiency from the midrange and the rim are marginally reduced. However, Jones is a good decision-maker that knows how to keep the ball moving, and he helps keep his offenses flowing.

Defensively, Jones is a generally positive force who plays with a lot of energy. He is a vocal leader who plays good team defense. His individual defense is inconsistent. He applies good pressure on the ball and bothers some offensive players, but he struggles to consistently apply pressure, and quicker players to get their spots against him. Jones has a positive defensive impact, but he is not among the top-tier of defensive guards.

Jones is an effective role player who looks best when playing alongside a good primary initiator. Jones comes off the bench and plays 20-25 minutes a game. But his impact diminishes in the playoffs when defenses dare him to shoot, and he struggles to be a stopper against the NBA's elite scorers

Worst case: Jones does not shoot well from 3. He shoots in the low 30s (around 29-33%) and teams typically dare him to shoot. With teams sagging off, Jones' playmaking and efficiency from the midrange and rim are diminished. His passing and overall decision-making are still a positive force, and Jones has flashes of efficiency while playing alongside better teammates.

Jones is an average defensive point guard. He competes hard, pressures ball handlers, and tries his best to stay in the play, but he is unable to consistently contain dribble penetration. On team defense Jones knows where to be and typically makes timely rotations, but his overall effectiveness is diminished by mental lapses and his tendency not to see man-ball.

Jones is an ok rotation guard in the regular season, but is a clear negative once teams start to exploit his weaknesses in the playoffs.

Physical Tools

• Average first step for NBA point guard. Good enough to operate in PNR, attack a closeout or drive a big, but certainly not blowing by the best NBA defenders in 1-on-1 matchups.

• Average acceleration & burst. Separate easily against slow defenders but will rely on craft and skill to get significant separation against good NBA athletes.

• Good vertical athlete - better than he gets credit for. Can jump off one foot or two. Gets decent hang time around rim. Generally not an above-the-rim player, but the utility of his vertical leaping is a positive.

• Lateral quickness on defense is good - not great. Has impressive sequences hounding offensive players and staying with them for multiple slides, but not lighting quick, struggles to stay in front of quicker players.

• Decent-to-good hip quickness - but not elite. Sometimes has trouble staying in front of change-of-direction moves.

• Mediocre deceleration on defense. Susceptible to spin moves and sudden change of speeds. Jones' deceleration looks better on offense - has a very effective hesitation move.

• Slightly below-average height (6’2.5 in shoes), wingspan (6’4), and reach (8’0) for NBA point guard.

• Solid strength. Won't get pushed around by most point guards, but will struggle against bigger players. Last reported weight is 185lbs, Jones' frame looks good, and he could probably add another five pounds, perhaps a little more.

Collectively, Jones' physical tools are average to slightly above-average for an NBA point guard. Jones' main calling card is his defensive ability, and his skill level is not elite: are his physical tools conducive to his play style?

Motor, Mentality, Intangibles

• Makes an impact on both ends. Two-way player.

• Good, not great, motor. Generally plays hard, but has his share of lapses. Rarely boxes out, doesn't always sprint back on defense, etc.

• Fiery player. Plays with a lot of positive emotion. Always supporting and encouraging his teammates. Clearly a leader. Vocal presence on the court.

• Last season, playing alongside future pros Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, and Cam Reddish, Jones embraced a small role on offense. This season, Jones was the first or second option. Jones appears willing and able to play different roles and adapt his game to fit along side better players.

• Clutch. Often took it upon himself to carry Duke in clutch time this season.

Jones' mentality is reminiscent of a Matthew Dellavedova type (a player who embraced deferring to and complimenting stars like LeBron James and Kyrie Irving). Embraces playing alongside better players. Team-first player. His mentality fits the kind of role he'll have in the NBA.

Finishing

• Unimpressive finishing percentage (54%), but some positive indicators on tape.

• Good hang time around basket. Not an above-the-rim finisher, but has time to contort body, change angles, etc. Can jump off two-feet or one-foot. This gives added versatility to his finishing.

• Good body control in air, can adjust arms/hands.

• Good at using his body as a shield.

• Gets nice length extension, fully extends his arms, makes the most of his physical abilities.

• Comes up with crafty angles to finish, reaches under defenders, etc.

• Finishes with either hand.

• Burgeoning floater/runner game. Inconsistent results thus far. Prefers right hand for those shots.

• Generally jumps/fades away from defenders. Doesn't try to power through them. Somewhat contact avoidant. Ok free-throw rate at 36.6%, but still room to improve at seeking fouls.

• Since Jones fades away, he often has to finish with tough bank shots at weird angles. His touch on those shots is mediocre. Some impressive flashes, but too often clanks the ball off the backboard.

Jones has some impressive aspects to his finishing: decent leaping ability, good body control, length extensions, etc. However, his efficiency is limited by fading away from defenders and his mediocre touch on the glass.

Shooting

• Right-handed shooter

• Jones' 3pt shooting, especially his catch-and-shoot shot, drastically improved from last season. Last season, Jones didn't get guarded from 3 and he was reluctant to take three pointers. 26.2% from 3 last season on 2.9 attempts per game.

• This season, Jones' was more aggressive and confident in taking 3s, and he shot a higher percentage. 36.1% from 3 on 3.7 attempts per game. Big change. Shows that Jones is capable of improving. 76.7% career free throw shooter in college - not an amazing percentage but indicates that Jones' shot isn't broken.

• Not a fast catch-and-shoot shooter, shoots with a dip, needs to be fairly open to get shot off. Limited versatility. Can he get shot off quicker?

• Shoots a low and somewhat flat ball. Definitely doesn't look like a pure shooter.

• Hit some pullup 3s this year, but unlikely to be a pullup 3pt threat in NBA. Needs time to get shot off. Most likely teams go under against him.

• Loves the midrange. Shot 38.3% on 2-point jumpers, which accounted for 42.3% of his offensive.

• Aggressive getting to his midrange pull up. Likes to shoot off a hard drive when he has significant momentum going towards rim. Nice elevation and good concentration to get shot off in traffic, appears unaffected by contests.

• Generally smart about where he takes his midranger. Usually takes it at elbows and in. Knows his comfort spots.

• Small flashes, but significantly less comfortable as a stepback guy. Better shooting with his momentum carrying him forward.

• Not a movement shooter. He's not running off screens to get into his shot. Slow form isn't conducive to movement shooting.

Jones projects as a "just good enough" shooter in the NBA. He will not shoot enough pullup 3s to be a lead initiator. But he should shoot well enough on spotup 3s to make defenses closeout to him, and his smooth midrange pullup gives him added scoring versatility.

However, the memory of the UCF March Madness game from 2019, in which 7'6 Tacko Fall "guarded" Jones by standing under the basket and daring him to shoot is still fresh. Jones' strong percentages this year where partially buoyed by a late-season hot streak. It is possible Jones regresses to his 2019 shooting.

Handle

• Good with both left hand and right hand. Can pullup or get to the rim with either hand. Appears slightly more comfortable pulling up with left hand.

• Go-to move is his hesitation dribble. Uses the hesitation a lot, and is effective with it. Good job hesitating, freezing defenders, then exploding out of the hesitation.

• Flashes standard arsenal of other moves like crossovers and behind-the-backs. But the hesitation is definitely his preferred move.

• Gets high and loose with handle in traffic. Gets it poked away by defensive players. Must tighten handle up for NBA.

Jones' handle is solid, with an excellent hesitation move that that helps him get into his midrange pullup or attack the rim. However, his handle is not so good that Jones, given his physical tools, will be able to break the best defenders down off the dribble. Bad tendency to get high and loose with handle in traffic.

Passing

• Excellent at passing to dive men. Can hit them with bounce pass or lobs. Leads the pass really well. This passing skill absolutely translates to the PNR-heavy NBA.

• Small flashes of manipulating the defense. Fakes pullup and then throws lob pass, etc. Has no look drop-offs in transition. But needs to use these fakes more often. His kicks to the corners, especially, are fairly telegraphed.

• Not the strongest or most accurate passer. Especially on Jones' passes to the corner, he tends to throw the ball low. Must work on throwing passes that land in his teammates' numbers.

• Better passer with right hand; left-handed passing is limited.

• Nice outlet passer, always looking ahead.

• Passing drops off as he gets into the lane, usually going for a finish or dropoff to the big. Not kicking to corners from under the basket.

• Great at post entries, can use a bounce pass or lob pass in over defenders. Helps his bigs get better position. Quick, smart, and comfortable with his post entries.

• Flashes of hitting weakside, especially when driving right. Not a consistent skill at this point. Given some limitations with how hard and accurate he can pass, consistently hitting the weakside is a difficult ask.

• Makes decisive reads.

Solid and decisive passer that keeps the ball moving. Especially adept at passing to big men. Jones' passing would play especially well with a big initiator (like Nikola Jokic). Limitations with hitting the weakside means that Jones, given his fairly limited abilities, doesn't have much creation equity.

PNR

• Projects as a secondary PNR creator in the NBA.

• Reluctance to take pullup 3 means that NBA teams likely won't chase him over the top. This will make it hard for Jones to get to his midrange and the paint

• Good at reading defenses. Reads the tag on roll men and hits the corners. But generally does not make anticipatory reads. Does not make skip passes. Does not manipulate weakside defender, etc.

• Needs to improve at snaking and putting defenders in jail; neither is a large part of his game right now. Could help him get to his midrange pullup.

• Showed strong chemistry with Vernon Carey (his big) in PNR, found Carey for lots of lobs and dumpoffs out of PNR. Excellent at leading Carey with the lob or bounce pass. Passed Carey into open areas. However, Carey had a frustrating tendency to slip screens and not make contact with Jones' defender. This may have diminished Jones' PNR performance.

• Main scoring option out of PNR is his midrange pullup. PNR efficiency will be dependent on his midrange success (shot 38.2% on 5.6 attempts per game).

• Jones doesn't have the burst to consistently get to rim out of PNR. Cannot count on good or frequent rim finishing in NBA.

Jones projects as as a limited PNR threat who must be paired with a dynamic roll or pop man to run an efficient PNR. Jones is better suited to run secondary PNRs - not the primary action.

Creation, Feel, IQ

• Not a primary initiator in the NBA. Lacks the elite athleticism, dynamic scoring package, and elite passing. Projects as a secondary PNR and spot-up guy who can attack closeouts. Probably a fourth option on a strong team.

• Midrange pullup is his best scoring option.

• Generally not going to create anything 1-on-1. Lacks the scoring skill.

• Good feel for attacking closeouts. Nice drive and kick game out of attacking the closeout and can get to his spots to score.

• Needs to take and make enough c-s-3s to force defenses to close out on him. Needs to get more aggressive relocating to corners and being prepared to shoot corner 3s.

• Deliberate player, I'd like to see more creativity in his game.

• Generally has good IQ, generally doesn’t force shots, typically doesn't turn it over unless his handle gets loose in traffic. Makes decisive reads. Not anticipatory, but processes the game well. Plays with good feel.

• Did a good job of picking his spots last season and deferring to Williamson, Barrett, and Reddish. Should embrace a smaller role again in the NBA.

Not skilled or athletic enough to be a strong primary initiator in the NBA, however Jones has the mentality, and, if, he hits his spot-ups, the skill to be successful playing along side other initiators.

Team Defense, Defensive Awareness

• Rotates well, knows where to be on defense. Plays within team concept.

• Not a rim protector (due to his small size), but rotates into paint to contain drives. Most aggressive when guarding non-shooters.

• Makes the most of his tags.

• Could be more aggressive when playing the nail, could dig in harder, etc.

• Sometimes watches his man too closely and loses track of ball. Must improve at seeing man-ball.

• Looks much better playing team defense when he is guarding a non-scoring threat. More aggressive going for steals, rotating to protect rim, etc. Must learn to be an active team defender even when facing a scoring threat (most players in the NBA are scoring threats). Staying to shooters is smart, but can still help when in weakside, etc.

• Good feel for getting steals off passes. Reads defenses well, anticipates where ball will be. 2.8% steal, generates steals at a good clip.

Solid team defender. Impressive understanding of where to be and what the opposing offense is trying to do. Some issues with consistently tagging, making aggressive rotations, etc. Likely lacks the elite playmaking and physical tools to be an exceptional team defender in the NBA.

Closeouts

• Makes the most out of his physical tools.

• Closes out hard but under control. Stays squared up to man - generally doesn't leave himself susceptible to drives.

• His closeout utility is limited by his height and length. Can he get a contest up against long shooters? Not so quick that he can get right into a shooter's space.

Off Ball Defense

• Plays aggressive denial defense. Makes it difficult for for his man to receive a pass. Very disruptive.

• But the aggressive denials sometimes lead to Jones' man back cutting him.

• Must improve at seeing man-ball. Bad tendency to focus too heavily on one or the other. Will lose track of ball or will get backdoored while ball watching.

• Good at chasing offensive players around screens. For example, toplocked Kihei Clarke all game against Virginia and did a good job.

Jones projects as a good off-ball defender in the NBA. He is good at denying the pass and is excellent at toplocking and chasing offensive players through screens. His commitment to ball denial can leave him susceptible to back cuts, but I imagine Jones can relax the denial when instructed to in the NBA. Must improve at consistently seeing man-ball.

Pick and Roll Defense

• Usually does a good job getting over screens, but not elite here, sometimes gets dislodged by screener.

• Even if he does get caught on screen, Jones usually maintains enough contact with his man to keep pressuring him from behind. Never gives up on play.

• Good instincts for hopping into position in preparation for navigating screen.

• Good at using active hands to takeaway passing angles.

• Struggled at times containing quick guards in PNR. Markell Johnson of NC State changed directions, snaked, etc., very easily against Jones. Jones' lateral sliding and deceleration ability look mediocre against quicker players who can stop-start and change direction.

• Generally does a good job ICING screens. Sometimes Jones takes bad angles and loses contact with the ballhanlder, letting the ballhandler get middle.

• Jones' defensive PNR partner was Vernon Carey- a poor space defender. Could Jones look better with a better big man?

Jones was a good PNR defender in college who typically used good technique to navigate ball screens. However, he may lack the elite lateral mobility, deceleration, and overall quickness to consistently contain dynamic guards in the NBA.

On-Ball Defense

• Good - not great - reaction times and quickness. Can pressure offensive players up, but also susceptible to blowbys, especially against quicker players.

• Decent quickness with his lateral slides, but not great. Has to break stance more than most elite defenders. Unable to mirror the quickest offensive players.

• Average to below-average deceleration. Has trouble staying in front of spin moves.

• Jumpy, must improve at not biting on shot fakes.

• Plays in an "athletic," hunched forward defensive stance. This stance is generally used by very athletic and quick players. Jones will not be an especially athletic or quick player in the NBA. Should he consider changing to a more conventional stance? This could improve his lateral mobility.

• Duke encourages Jones to pressure the ballhandler. This often left Jones susceptible blowbys when pressuring quick players. Can Jones embrace and be effective in a more conservative system in the NBA?

• Dogged mentality on defense. Embraces tough matchups and plays with defensive intensity throughout the game.

• Even when Jones gets beat, he works hard to get back in the play - doesn't give up.

• Can the pressure he puts on an offensive player serve to have a cumulative effect of tiring that player?

• At 6'2.5 with a 6'4 wingspan and decent but not special strength, Jones will struggle guarding larger players. Best defending point guards. Has enough physical tools and smarts to guard smaller 2s, but generally a one-position defender.

Jones has the mentality and desire to be a good on-ball defender. Plays hard, applies a lot of pressure, and doesn't give up on plays. However, given his average quickness and aggressive stance and pressure defense, Jones is very susceptible to blowbys against quick players. If Jones controls his aggressive pressure, he could make himself less susceptible to blowbys.

Key Plays

Here Jones makes a good PNR read against Virginia's defense. Reads collapsing defense and kicks to open shooter. Note how Tre doesn't throw the one-handed whip pass. He uses two hands. He must get better with one handed passes to keep passing lanes open at the NBA level.

Jones shows some some potential as a pullup 3pt shooter. He needs a little time and space to get his shot off, but he should force teams to play up on him to a reasonable extent.

Here's an example of great defense from Tre. Goes under screen, beats David Johnson to his spot, and then gets a great contest on him. Shows his quick feet and fluidity.

Jones presses up on David Johnson in the fullcourt, and Johnson blows by him easily. Jones lacks quickness and length to ever get back into play. Obviously Jones will not be asked to extend full court pressure in the NBA, but this clip shows his athletic limitations on defense.

My Big Board: https://www.nbadraftscouting.com/bigboard

Other scouting reports I've written: https://www.nbadraftscouting.com/