New York Knicks: 3 options for the No. 27 pick in the NBA draft
By Chip Murphy
New York Knicks NBA draft option No. 2: Tre Jones
Tre Jones was in the same historic Duke recruiting class as current Knick RJ Barrett and former No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson. They played together for one season before Barrett and Williamson went pro. Jones decided to stay for his sophomore season, and the move paid off.
The 20-year-old’s role shifted dramatically from his freshman to sophomore season. With Barrett, Williamson, and Cam Reddish in the NBA, Jones became the focal point of the offense. His shots, points, assists, rebounds, usage, and (insert metric here) all increased. Jones was subsequently named ACC Player of the Year.
Following in the footsteps of his older brother Tyus — who won a national championship in his lone season as Duke’s point guard — he needed more than one season to refine his game. It was Tre’s jumper that needed the most work.
Jones made the smart play more often than not — 6.4 assists to 2.7 turnovers — and most importantly knows his limits on offense. He was at his best in the fast break — scoring 1.02 points per transition possession (93rd percentile), per Synergy Sports.
Jones shot 26.2 percent on 3-point attempts as a freshman and 36.9 percent on two-point jumpers, per Hoop-Math. In his sophomore season, Jones shot 36.1 percent on triples and 38.3 percent on twos.
According to Synergy, only 18 percent of Jones’ shots in the half-court were jumpers, but he scored 1.18 points per catch and shoot jumper (82nd percentile). While the sample size is small (3.7 3-point attempts per game), the improvement is still encouraging. His shooting from the free throw line (career 76.7 percent) offers hope for even greater improvement.
Like Flynn, Jones was renowned for his defense. He was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year this season and made the ACC All-Defensive team twice. Jones is 6’3″ with a 6’4″ wingspan, but his high-IQ play and quick hands are what will lead to further elite defense at the next level.
Where Jones needs to improve is his finishing in the restricted area. He wasn’t afraid to attack the basket — attempting 29.5 percent of his shots at the rim. But he converted on just 54 percent of those attempts, per Hoop-Math.