Perry Jones III to Thunder: Scouting Report, Video Highlights and Analysis

Perry Jones III is widely regarded as a boom-or-bust prospect in the NBA.

His upside is absolutely incredible, but he lacks the motor that the truly elite players possess. 

PJIII projects as a versatile power forward in the NBA and already possesses the size (6’11”, 235 pounds) necessary to play the position. It’s also possible he could play out on the wing because of his unique talents. 

Let’s take a closer look at this exciting new rookie.

What Perry Jones III Brings to the Team

Everything. If Jones can play up to his ceiling, he literally brings a bit of everything to the table.

While Jones only averaged 13.5 PPG, 7.6 RPG and 1.3 APG during his sophomore year with Baylor, he often flashed skills that would make him an NBA superstar.

He’s super athletic and can get up and down the floor in no time. He also has the touch to play outside, great ball-handling for a big and uncanny passing vision and projects as a more-than-adequate defensive presence.

The knocks on PJIII are his lack of toughness, confusing inconsistency and a tendency to get complacent on the court. He checks out occasionally, and he sometimes looks dominant on one possession and falls asleep on the next.

It’s absolutely maddening, but if he can stay focused, we have a new star in the NBA.

What The Experts Are Saying

ESPN’s Chad Ford talked about the benefits and drawbacks of Jones III before the draft:

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The Good: There are few 6-foot-11 players with his combination of athleticism and skill. He can play like a guard and is an excellent ball handler for a big man. He can shoot the rock and has some nice moves around the basket. He can also get after the boards when he wants to. 

The Bad: He doesn't like to mix it up in the paint, and his game can lack toughness and passion at times. He's also content to shoot jump shots when he should be dominating the paint. Needs to get a lot stronger. 

 

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Rookie Impact

If Jones can get his motor running as a rookie, he’s going to see a lot of playing time. If he fails to get motivated and ends up mailing in his early playing time, he could go right in the doghouse and stay there for a while.

Regardless, it is highly unlikely that PJIII heads to the D-League. He should have a chance to make some sort of impact—good or bad—as a rookie.

Pick Analysis

OKC selected the best available player in Perry Jones III, and potentially got a huge steal at 28. Jones is an ultra-athletic forward who runs the floor extremely well and has a tremendous upside. PJIII needs to work on his offensive game, but with the big 3 handling most of the offensive output, he will not be looked to score much in his rookie campaign.