NBA Draft: 5 Late-Round Prospects The Timberwolves Should Target

Tyus Jones, PG, Duke

Physicals

Height (in shoes): 6’2″   Weight: 185 pounds   Wingspan: 6’5″   Standing Reach: 8’1″

Experience

Age: 19   Class: Freshman

Draft Projections

DraftExpress: #18   NBADraft.net: #25

Potential Fit

Undoubtedly, drafting the Apple Valley, Minn., native would be a welcomed homecoming for the reigning Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. But Jones’ stock seems to be on a steady rise since his breakout performance in early April, thereby making it harder for the Wolves’ brass to trade up and draft the fearless floor general.

For the most part, Tyus is tiny by NBA standards, standing barely more than 6′ barefoot, equipped with an uninspiring 6’5″ wingspan and a bleak 8’1″ standing reach.

However, he more than compensates for his lack of boilerplate size with an immense amount of poise, moxie, and unwavering confidence. Jones has proven he is a winner through and through; a player that rises to the occasion when the competition is stiffest and the lights are the brightest.

He proved it in high school … he proved it yet again in college.

Tyus is the consummate point guard — great at pushing the tempo, finding his open teammates, nailing open pull-up jumpers, while limiting his turnovers.

Jones is especially efficacious when operating in the open court, where he utilizes his controlled handle, speed, and vision to overwhelm the opposition.  In fact, according to Synergy Sports Technology, the former Duke Blue Devil produced 301 points — either via the pass or scoring himself — in transition situations this season, which ranked eighth in all of college basketball.

He is equally adept at running the show in a half-court setting, showing great poise and patience in finding the right balance between passing and shooting — a vital skill for modern day point guards who are asked to do the bulk of their team’s playmaking.

Jones’ ability to control pace and tempo is spearheaded by his advanced handle and his penchant for keeping his turnovers at an optimal level. During this past season, Tyus only averaged a Chris Paul-esque 2.3 turnovers per 40 minutes.

Perhaps, most importantly, Jones — unlike incumbent starter, Ricky Rubio — is already an accomplished duo threat in the pick-and-roll game.

Does he have the mind-numbing vision and the luxury of seeing over the opposing defense like a Rubio? No. But, in addition to his deft passing, Jones also converted on better than 43 percent of his pull-up jumpers and generated approximately 1.13 PPP when coming off the screen-and-roll.

And if the Wolves were to take his former teammate, Jahlil Okafor, with the No. 1 overall pick, Jones has proven to be an above-average floor spacer — knocking down roughly 39 percent of his shots when his feet were set this past season.

But, his physical profile and lack of elite quickness may limit his potential in the NBA. In particular, it may hinder his ability to defend at an average rate, and exacerbate his struggles finishing within the paint (see Trey Burke).

However, with his skills and intangibles, it is hard not to envision Jones becoming, at worst, a solid pass-first backup point guard in this league. His ability to make shots and run the show will be an attractive change-of-pace attribute for the Wolves at the backup point guard position.

In addition, with Jones and LaVine heading the second unit, that should provide enough spacing for Muhammad to run amok on the opposition’s second unit wings.

Next: Chris McCullough