Five potential sleepers in the draft
By Jonathan Givony, DraftExpress.com
Dominique Jones, SG, Jr. South Florida
Measuring 6-5 in shoes with a 6-9 wingspan and sturdy 216-pound frame, Jones is one of the more physically impressive guards in the draft. The aggressive combo guard also is one of the best at creating his own shot and, among all prospects, ranks in the top 10 in scoring (21.4 last season) and top five in free-throw attempts (8.5).
A capable playmaker, Jones wasn't always able to show off his passing skills while playing with less accomplished teammates, but he appears to have the vision and smarts needed to run a team effectively in spurts.
Jones, however, likely isn't generating more hype because he played for a bad team -- South Florida won a combined 21 games his first two years before improving to 20-13 last season -- that relied too heavily on him to keep defenses honest. In addition, he shot only 31 percent from the shorter college three-point line in each of the last two seasons.
Jones' stock seems to be rising -- he's a potential late first-round pick -- but he still might end up being undervalued on draft night. Plenty of teams could use a Shannon Brown-type combo guard off the bench for special assignments, and Jones certainly fits the bill.
If the Spurs SF prospects run dry and Williams is also gone, I wouldn't mind them reaching a bit at 20 to take Jones...even if they decided to pass on Pondexter(this does not mean that I personally would want him over Pondexter, I just means I wouldn't be upset with the pick).
I honestly don't think he'd be much of a reach at 20. I'm pretty high on him and if the Spurs take him over someone like Pondexter, I'm pretty confident that it'll be for the right reasons; I really like the kid.
As The Truth #6 mentioned in the draft thread, the Spurs have holes at both SG and SF so there is plenty of merit in taking a SG...especially one like Jones who has SG size, can operate as a combo guard and is defensive minded.
I'd rather him over Pondexter also... I would rather George, Babbitt, Anderson, Henry, maybe James if they are available at 20.
What about between Ell iot Williams and Dominique Jones? That's pretty tough for me.
Elli0t is probably a better 'now' choice, but as Jones' profile said, if he develops a consistent jumper, LOOK OUT. My guess is that if they're both on the board, the Spurs would pick Elli0t.
Ideally the Spurs could find some more size and talent on the wing but if it can't be done in the draft with someone who can contribute now, you've got to just take the best player that can. Jones could very well be that guy.
What I've really harped on is the 'glue' the Spurs have lost over the years. I talked about it in "The Prestige" piece I did and I've recently talked about it in TD 21's thread, and I'm going to keep on harping on it until it's time to completely rebuild. But the Spurs can't look to the draft for that, they need to look for contributors. Compe ors with a skill set that should allow them to help the cause pretty much from Day 1.
Hairston is a small forward. He's who should be their 'Centerpiece' this year and he should be able to eclipse his predecessor if given the opportunity. Temple has all the markings of a Spur and I have a hard time not seeing him with the Spurs next year; he's a 1/2 with the versatility to play the 3 defensively in the right matchup. Gee ... I'm not sure about. He's the best scorer of the bunch, a real competent slasher, and he's got a real NBA body, but I'm unsure of his status. He's a 2/3, but definitely more 2. As Bruno mentioned, after seeing their respective contract numbers (guaranteed money), it'll probably come down to a legitimate compe ion in camp. I can't see them not keeping two of them, and it wouldn't completely shock me if they kept all of them, but it all depends on what they show in camp; Hairston would seem to have a leg up but the contract numbers actually might favor the other two if it's close.
Having said all that (and now I'll get back to the point -- I swear), the Spurs need talent. They need contributors now. Jones has the build, game and toughness, both mentally and physically, to come in and to do just that. He might actually be able to help the Spurs more off the bat than some of the better wings that would be better gets in the grand scheme of things. , it might actually be a wiser move, given the state and times of Spurs basketball, to build their supporting cast with youth providing more of the talent and a long, defensive vet or two to provide the grit and needed defense.
As for Jones v Williams ... I plead ignorance. I just didn't get to see much of Williams to give you an honest opinion. I love what I'm hearing and there's definitely some intrigue, but I'm just really impressed with Jones. He's just got a real chance to be a steal and a really solid player.
I don't know why there's interest in getting a guy without a reliable shot. The Spurs have an overabundance of penetrators and not enough reliable shooters. Jones sounds like a tough kid with solid measurables, but they need someone who can make an outside shot if left open.
You don't usually rely on the outside shooting of rookies, especially ones outside the lottery. They need shooting, dependable, trustworthy shooting, and they're going to need to find it in some veteran(s).
One more penetrator on the roster means one less shooter. With Parker, Ginobili, Hill, Jefferson, Hairston/Gee/Temple, the last thing the Spurs need is another penetrator. He wasn't even reliable at hitting the spot-up, wide open Js.
IF the Spurs wanted to go for a slasher, I'd suggest one or two guys that can at least make an open shot...Pondexter or Williams.
I'm fine with either of those picks. But I wouldn't dismiss a guy like Jones simply because he lacks a three-point shot; and I certainly wouldn't dismiss him until I know Tony and George are both going to be here.
The Spurs need talent, contributors. If they believe Jones is the best player available and they can't address the small forward adequately, they shouldn't take a lesser player to fulfill a positional need. RJ's gone after this year, if not before, and Tony's future is up in the air. Jones could actually turn out to be a pretty ideal pick when it's all said and done; and I'd definitely look to the trade and free-agent markets for my shooting short-term.
They should be able to address the SF position without sacraficing anything from a talent perspective. I'd take any of these SFs and/or SGs before considering Jones:
George
Henry
Hayward
Babbitt
Pondexter
James
Anderson
Williams
All of the above can shoot decently from the outside and fit a current position of need for the Spurs. Obviously it's just my opinion, but I would probably be disappointed if they chose Jones and one of the above players were still on the board.
I've moved posts about Hairston and Gee in the Hairston thread.
I'd be happy if the Spurs added Dominique Jones and Splitter this off season... I like the idea of Ginobili playing the SF spot sometimes in a 3 guard line up-- it beats Jefferson or Bogans playing the 4 in a smallball line up. If Jones is anything close to a mini-Tyreke or mini-D Wade sleeper as advertised, he'd be a steal at #20.
I was assuming all but James, Pondexter and Williams would be off the board and if the Spurs went with Jones over those two, I'd have no problem with it; I trust they've got a better read than I do and if they're high enough on Jones to pass on those two, I'm only going to be more enthused with Jones.
I trust that they'd pick the right player if it comes down to those three.
The more I learn about this guy, the more I like him. He's extremely aggressive on both ends of the court, a very efficient scorer, and generally had very good games against the best teams in the Big East. Two versatile combo guards in Hill & Jones plus two all-stars in Tony and Manu makes for a pretty good backcourt... If the Spurs add the needed defensive length elsewhere (Splitter & Dominic McGwire?), I'd be fine with not drafting a SF, even if that does seem to be the biggest need at the moment.
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