[Pistol Pete. The PelicanParticipant]

 Can someone inform us on what Chad Ford said in his article today about Perry Jones? His titles said GMs and Scouts were split, but he dominated the workout as a wing. 

Don’t need the whole article just a sypnopsis. Thank You.

[NbanflguyParticipant]

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — On Thursday I made the trip up the California coast from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara to take in the BDA sports group workout.

 

 

Led by agents Bill Duffy, Kevin Bradbury, Todd Ramasar, Rade Filipovich, Calvin Andrews, David Mondress and Ugo Udezue, BDA has a number of clients in this year’s draft training at the University of California at Santa Barbara. On Thursday they invited more than 80 NBA GMs and scouts to witness a three-hour workout of their clients.

 

 

I was on hand to both watch the workouts and to talk to the GMs and scouts in attendance.

 

 

Here’s what I learned:

 

 

 

• The two biggest enigmas in the draft are Connecticut Huskies big man Andre Drummond and Baylor Bears forward Perry Jones. I’ll see Drummond in New York early next week.

   

   

   

  Jones was the headline attraction Thursday. Whether his performance answered the questions NBA teams have about him is open to interpretation.

   

   

  The workout featured Jones as a wing — a smart move to validate NBA scouts who believe that Jones was miscast as a center in Baylor’s offense the past two years. While Jones has the size of an NBA center, he’s a perimeter-oriented big man who shies away from contact in the paint. He always looked more comfortable with the ball in his hands facing the basket than he did backing down a defender in the paint.

   

   

  Thursday’s workouts capitalized on Jones’ strengths and featured him in a number of drills alongside other wings like the Vanderbilt Commodores’ Jeff Taylor and UC Santa Barbara’s Orlando Johnson.

   

   

  Jones wowed early. He’s unusually quick and fluid for a player his size. While he’s not a lights-out shooter, he’s got a nice stroke and knocked down 7-of-15 from NBA 3-point range in one drill. He’s also a solid ball handler for his size and looked very comfortable running all the drills on the perimeter.

   

   

  What was most impressive was his explosiveness in the paint. When Jones hit the lane, he blasted off the ground for a number of thunderous, highlight-reel dunks.

   

   

  In many ways he reminded me of another unusually big wing — Paul George. George measured 6-foot-10 in Indiana Pacers training camp and played the 2 and 3 all season for Indiana. Both are excellent athletes who are comfortable putting the ball on the floor and pulling up for jumpers. Both players were accused of not dominating the game during their two seasons in college. George didn’t even make first-team All-WAC as a sophomore.

   

   

  While George’s numbers were slightly better across the board, he was allowed to play the wing in college. Jones, on the other hand, played the 4 and 5 the entire season.

   

   

  After the workout, some things were clear. Others were not.

   

   

  Jones is going to look terrific in individual workouts. There are very few players in this or any draft who can do the things he does at his size. A team could easily fall in love with his potential and make him a top-5 pick. George fell all the way to No. 10 on draft night and virtually every team that passed on him now regrets it. If we were to do over the 2010 draft today, he’d be the second or third player off the board.

   

   

  What is less clear is whether a position change will improve Jones’ motor and overall mental toughness. He disappeared for long stretches during Baylor’s season and shied away from contact. Was Jones just unhappy with his role at Baylor and therefore not as engaged as he could’ve been? Or is there something deeper in his personality that saps the competitive edge out of him?

   

   

  In speaking with Jones on Thursday, he’s aware of what teams are concerned about and said he’s working on improving his mental toughness and body language. He specifically said he’s trying to improve his attitude when his shot doesn’t fall early.

   

   

  [+] Enlarge
  Peter G. Aiken/US PresswireJones has excellent athletic ability.

   

   

  As for the GMs in the room? Everyone I spoke with came away with a different opinion. Here were two of the most representative:

   

   

  "That sort of talent doesn’t come along very often," one GM said. "As I was watching the workout, I thought you finally got to see what a freed-up Perry Jones could do if a coach just lets him be himself. He could be a dominant, and I mean dominant, forward with his size, athletic ability and skill set. I think he’s a hard worker and will be a much better contributor if you give him the chance to be himself. I’d have no concerns drafting him in the top five. He could be a home run of a pick."

   

   

  And the other side …

   

   

  "Of all the guys that are in your top 10, I’d have the hardest time taking him," another GM said. "I know he wants to be a 3, but I don’t think he does anything that we ask our 3s to do that is special. He’s not a great shooter. He doesn’t have a great handle. He’s not an aggressive defender. He’s got great size and athleticism, but he’s not skilled enough. That means he’ll end up being a stretch 4, which is a euphemism for a guy who doesn’t have a position.

   

   

  "Could he be great? Sure. But I think he’s a major project and a major risk. There are safer picks in the top 10 with very good upsides. I think there’s a good chance that he slides in the draft as people continue to wrestle with who he is."

   

   

  I wish I could tell you which camp I’m in. Both seem right, paradoxically.

   

   

  • Vanderbilt’s Taylor has always been an elite athlete. Over his four years at Vandy he also proved to be an elite defender who can guard multiple positions. As a senior, he improved his most obvious Achilles’ heel — shooting. Taylor shot 22 percent from 3-point range as a freshman. He shot 10 percent from deep as a sophomore. He improved to 34 percent as a junior and then made a major leap to 42 percent as a senior.

   

   

  How did scouts respond to Taylor’s steady improvement as a shooter? By calling his senior season a fluke. As I walked into the gym on Thursday, scouts all wanted to see the same thing: What’s his shot look like?

   

   

  The answer? Taylor shot the ball very well in the workout. He’s not an elite shooter by any means, but he consistently hit shots all the way out to the NBA 3-point line.

   

   

  Given all the other traits he brings to the table, it’s not out of the question that with great workouts he moves from the late-first to mid-first round.

   

   

  • Taylor’s teammate, John Jenkins, looked terrific. He was lights out in the shooting drills, going 13-of-15 from the college 3-point line and 12-of-15 from NBA range.

   

   

  That won’t surprise anyone. Most scouts believe Jenkins is the best shooter in the draft (a few give Kentucky Wildcats guard Doron Lamb the edge). The question is whether Jenkins can be more than a spot-up shooter.

   

   

  The work he’s done over the past few months suggests that he may. He’s put on noticeable muscle and has worked on his explosiveness. He looked much stronger and bouncier than he did at Vanderbilt. If he can tighten up the handle, he could have a long career in the NBA. Right now we have Jenkins as a bubble first-rounder.

   

   

  • The third Vanderbilt player, Festus Ezeli, looked, for the first time since the start of the college season, healthy and explosive again. These types of workouts rarely showcase big men. But Ezeli moved well, played with power and looked like he was in terrific shape. Given his size and the dearth of big men in the draft, he too has a good shot at the first round.

   

   

  • UCSB’s Johnson made a major impression on scouts at the New Jersey workout last weekend. Johnson has also made dramatic improvements to his body and explosiveness. He’s lost 16 pounds since the end of his senior season and added an incredible seven inches to his vertical. The slimmed-down physique, extra explosiveness and a huge 6-foot-11 wingspan really got the attention of scouts. Johnson again looked terrific in workouts. He’s a very powerful guard. For the first time all season, a few NBA scouts told me they’d consider him in the late first round.

   

   

  • Missouri Tigers guard Marcus Denmon and Long Beach State 49ers guard Casper Ware matched up against each other in 3-on-3 play. Ware is quicker and more aggressive as a defender. He’s totally unafraid to get up in your grill and disrupted Denmon on a number of players. Denmon is bigger, a better shooter and more comfortable playing both positions. While Ware drew more praise in New Jersey from scouts, Denmon got the nod slightly over Ware in this workout. Both players are legit second-round prospects.

   

   

  • The workout also featured two athletic bigs — New Mexico’s Drew Gordon and Stanford’s Josh Owens. Both showed off their explosive athletic ability around the rim. The question is whether they bring much else to the table. Gordon’s strong rebounding numbers the past two seasons give him the advantage right now over Owens.

[omphalosParticipant]

I agree with the latter scout regarding Perry Jones, he’s not going to be a great SF, he has good skill for his size, but not for that position, the only guy with elite length matched with elite skill is KD, and he’s a freak of nature. As much as I love Paul George, he’s still shaky offensively and has a questionable handle, but he makes up for it by being an energetic and disruptive defender, which is a trait Perry Jones lacks.

Even if Jones’ offensive skills were up to scratch, he’d still be a defensive liability against quick SFs, he’s best suited as a stretch 4, a more athletic Bargnani with a slightly worse skillset, which isn’t bad for a top-10 pick, but I wouldn’t take him top 5, because he isn’t a guy who’s going to be the face of your franchise and turn things around.

[Pistol Pete. The PelicanParticipant]

Thanks Nbanflguy.

[Pistol Pete. The PelicanParticipant]

 I’m like Chad Ford, I’m stuck in the middle. I would definitely draft him in the top 10 but not the top 5, just on his bust potential but he has more boom potential than almost anyone in the draft, Only 2 matching are Davis and Drummond. 

 

I think how he turns out, all depends on where he goes. His situation is going to have to be a strong one. Strong coach and veteran players. If he goes to somewhere like Charlotte he’ll bust, but I think if he goes somewhere like Detroit he could be amazing. I think he also needs to be in an uptempo system. 

 

And to comment on Paul George for a minute, I think he’ll be better when he plays in his natural small forward position. He’s out of position right now as the 5th option in the starting lineup, he’ll be better when Danny Granger unfortunately gets traded..

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

Perry Jones can be on the Rudy Gay/Danny Granger level but taller.  Neither Gay or Granger are elite ball handlers.  Not sure if Rudy Gay is an elite passer — never seen him pass.  However, Rudy Gay is a good scorer who can shoot over anyone and finish strong.  I think PJIII can be like that.  Granger is a lot like Rudy Gay, but perhaps less of an athlete.  Indeed, Granger only had four dunks all year.  But, Granger can score, even though like Gay he is not a pure, lights-out shooter.  But he is a core guy on a second round team.  Rudy Gay is a core guy on a fourth seed. 

I think Perry Jones would fit in this range.  With Paul Pierce on the decline, the only small forwards ahead of those three would be LeBron, Durant, Carmelo, and maybe Luol Deng and Iggy.  … he should be in contention for the second pick along with MKG, Andre Drummond, Thomas Robinson, and maybe Harrison Barnes.

I can’t wait to here about Andre Drummond’s workouts.  I bet he will show a lot of things to like, as well as some red flags. 

Right now I would have Davis 1, with Drummond, MKG, and Perry Jones to round out the top 4.  I like T Rob too, but unless he measures out around 6’10 I think he might not have the upside as the other top picks.  From 5-7 I would go with T Rob, Harrison Barnes, and Brad Beal in some order.  Then there is the next group that includes Jeremy Lamb, Austin Rivers, John Henson, Jared Sullinger, Kendall Marshall, Terrance Jones, Tyler Zeller, and some other guys.  This group will go anywhere from mid-lotto to early 20’s.  Then you have the next group of guys who go somewhere from 20ish to early second round.  Ezelli, John Jenkins, Draymond Green, Will Barton, and some other guys will be there.  I think Doron Lamb will go anywhere from mid to late first round.  Same with his UK teammate Marquis Teague.  Or either guy could fall to the second round.

[Pistol Pete. The PelicanParticipant]

 I’ve said Rudy Gay before, but I gto like 30 negatives. lol, I tried telling people, the system and Perry jones playing out of position was holding him back. I said he would never be A Superstar but a very good core player….Like Rudy Gay. I remember who was arguing against me, It was JoeWolf and he kept making the statement that Perry Jones stunk and etc, he said no one gets better in the pros after they suck in college. When really he had steady production, 14 and 7 in college isn’t bad. Especially while playing out of position. I think in a faster NBA product, playing as a 3/4 he will be good. Not great but I can see Rudy Gay Michael Beasley style numbers, around 18 points and 7 rebounds.. I just hope he applies himself on defense in the league, with all of that length and athleticism he should dominate. That’s part of the problem though. People expect him to dominate every facet of the game. It’s sort of like Lebron, his attributes say he can do more, but if he doesn’t people complain. 

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