Getty Duke Blue Devils guard Tre Jones
The Duke Blue Devils are loaded with talented freshman, but one who’s flown a bit under the radar at times is point guard Tre Jones. Although the likes of Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett take center stage, Jones has been key to Duke’s success this year. With that said, Jones has seen his 2019 NBA Draft stock jump around a bit throughout the year.
Jones has averaged 9.0 points, 5.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 2.1 steals through 31 games, but has taken a backseat from a scoring perspective for obvious reasons. One area of concern which could impact his draft outlook is that he’s shot just 40.2 percent from the field and 24.4 percent from beyond the arc. With that said, his defense is excellent and draft analysts have still offered a fairly positive outlook on his draft projections.
Tre Jones NBA Draft Projections & Mock Drafts
In one of the most recent mock drafts which came prior to the start of conference tournaments, Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Woo pegged Jones as a late selection in the first round. He pegged him landing with the San Antonio Spurs at No. 29, citing the team’s ability to help improve his jump shot but adding an immediate talent on the defensive end.
It’s clear now that most of Jones’ value is going to come on the defensive end, where he has been terrific. If you believe you can help fix his jump shot, then he’s worth a pick in this range. The Spurs could be a good landing spot here, with their emphasis on player development and history of helping players improve their shooting.
Of the many other mock drafts which stood out, the latest from NBADraft.net grabbed some attention. They currently have Jones as a second-round selection, and this is the updated mock I’ve found thus far. The site projects the Duke guard to come off the board at No. 33 overall, but in an interesting landing spot with the Orlando Magic.
According to NBADraft.net’s breakdown, they peg the Magic taking Texas Tech shooting guard Jarrett Culver in the first round, so adding Jones in the second addresses the need at point guard. It’s a nice fit for the 6-foot-2 freshman, who would have a chance to see playing time, especially with the future outlook of recently-acquired Markelle Fultz a bit unknown.
Tre Jones NBA Draft Big Board Outlook
Along with the new Sports Illustrated’s mock draft, there was also an updated big board from Jeremy Woo on the site. It seems that Woo has Jones coming off the board right where he’s expected to, as the Duke guard is currently ranked as the No. 29 prospect. This places him ahead of the likes of Iowa State’s Tyrese Haliburton, Virginia’s Ty Jerome and Purdue’s Carsen Edwards.
While Jones was unable to crack the top-25 of ESPN’s “best available” for the 2019 NBA Draft, he did come in slightly higher than most sites. They currently have him labeled as the No. 26 prospect and the third-best point guard in the draft. This leaves him behind only Murray State’s Ja Morant and Vanderbilt’s Darius Garland.
As things stand, it seems likely that Jones should be a first-round pick, but exactly where he could come off the board remains a big question mark.
READ NEXT: Luke Maye NBA Draft Projections: Latest Mocks & UNC Forward’s Stock