Minnesota Timberwolves Draft Profile: Duke guard Tre Jones

The Minnesota Timberwolves have a lot of roles that they need to fill this offseason. Tre Jones could possibly be a second-round addition which adds to the guard rotation in Minnesota.

Tre Jones is 6-foot-3 and a solid 190 pounds. He has a great frame and displayed that defensively for Duke this past season. Jones’ main calling card was the pressure he applied to opposing point guards while defending on-ball. He was the 2019-20 Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year, Defensive player of the year, as well as a consensus third-team All-American.

As a Freshman, Jones struggled as a shooter. He shot below 30-percent from the free-throw line and his overall form was lacking. It is notable that the spacing Duke had in 2018-19 was suboptimal and the offensive scheme was lacking in almost every way. This past year, Jones was able to bring his 3-point percentage up into about 36% — a mark much more promising than that of his freshman year.

As stated, Jones’s on-ball defense is suffocating. He constantly shut down opposing point guards and averaged just under two steals per game over the course of his college career. His off-ball defense was inconsistent and although he seemed to rise to the occasion when matched up against better/more talented guards.

Jones will be able to find a role offensively in the NBA simply due to his great passing/facilitation. As Duke’s primary playmaker, he accounted for over six assists per game (with around two and a half turnovers per game).

Jones has a natural and rare feel for the game and knows how to manipulate the defense. That said, he also has sub-par athleticism and struggles driving to the basket, especially against larger players. Jones is probably not going to be a great pick-and-roll threat at the next level, but he is worth a roster spot on some teams due to his passing and defensive capabilities.

Fit on the Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves need role players. Tre Jones has the potential to be just that. Defensively, he would fit right in next to D’Angelo Russell. I’m unsure of whether his shooting will translate to the NBA but that is probably his biggest offensive question. Jones can be either a primary or secondary facilitator next to Russell, overall he is a complementary playmaker and his basketball IQ will prevent him from losing his passing ability at the next level.

Jones would be a solid fit next to Malik Beasley as well. As stated, he is not a great offensive scorer but his playmaking would make up for Beasley’s lack of passing and of course, Jones provides consistently great defense. Karl-Anthony Towns is the superstar of the Wolves, though, and while Jones would be a solid backcourt fit, he would not mesh in the pick-and-roll game.

Tre Jones is a pro-ready prospect that is projected to be selected in the second round of the NBA Draft. His facilitation and on-ball defense make him appealing, but he has his drawbacks in his lack of shooting upside and overall athleticism.