DNHQ Draft Tourney Group F: PJ Hall, David Jones, Jamison Battle, Blake Hinson; plus open thread
All these players have had GSW workouts so they are serious candidates to be picked
Our Draft Tournament
Yes, we are having our FIFTH annual DNHQ Draft Tournament, where Dub Nation gets to vote on whom the Warriors should draft via head to head showdowns.
If the Warriors end up trading the pick, I’ll end the draft tournament early. If the Warriors somehow trade up, I’ll somehow re-fashion the Tourney.
Overall results and how we chose the field at 2024 Dub Nation HQ Draft Tournament. Past Draft Tourneys archived here.
Don’t be a party pooper and say the Warriors should trade the pick or that it doesn’t matter.
void’s Big Board Vote Site
Super commenter void has made (again) a web app where you can record your Big Board for our limited pool of “Might Fall To #52” Tourney participants.
I particularly like this site, because you can put your money where your mouth is. So when you start bragging about how all your draft picks were better than the dumb Warriors pick, people can check. For instance, you can look at all my draft picks from since 2021, from brilliant to horribly misguided.
void’s DNHQ Big Board Vote Site
PJ Hall
Forward, 7-0, 240lb
Warning: he measured 6-8.25 in socks at the NBA Combine.
BPM #78
PRPG #89
SI 5-16 #51
O'Conner-Ringer 6-4 #59
Vecenie 6-5 #40
Wasserman 5/31 #45
Why does BPM love him?
Above average Offensive Rating and shooting efficiency (EFG, TS%), on very high Usage.
Above average defensive rebounding rate, high Block rate, doesn’t turn the ball over.
Why isn’t he in the first round?
He’s a four-year player.
His position is stretch big, but shot 31.5% 3P on 165 shots. Career numbers of 78% FT offer mild optimism.
Slow, can he defend in the NBA?
Apricot’s Highly Questionable Statistical Comps
This is from an experimental program finding closest statistical comparisons to other NCAA players since 2010.
Ben Bentil 2016
Cleanthony Early 2013
Tobias Harris 2011
Frank Kaminsky 2015
Daniel Oturu 2020
In Hall’s defense, Kaminsky was a really good college player.
Sam Vecenie, NY Times
My favorite pickup of this group would be Hall if he gets there. Another undersized big, Hall has enough size to manage at the five with a 9-foot standing reach. I wonder if he could combine with Jackson-Davis off the bench for some fun two-big lineups. Hall can shoot the ball from distance, is really sharp on defense and can pass. He’s just not mobile athletically. I have a top-45 grade on him and think his basketball IQ would also really fit with Kerr.
Kevin O’Connor, The Ringer
SHADES OF
Post-Prime Blake Griffin
Glue guy who improves the flow of the offense anytime he’s on the floor.
Hustle
Feel for the Game
Off-Ball Mover
PLUSES
Elite screener who sets fundamental picks at different angles to spring shooters open, whether it’s off the ball or a pick-and-roll.
Thrives in handoff actions because he can make smart decisions as a passer, dribbler, or shooter. If the handoff transforms into a ball screen, he’s good at rescreening into a roll to the rim or popping up for a 3.
As a career 78 percent guy from the line at Clemson, he has good potential. Though he’s made only 32.6 percent of his 3s, he has soft touch from the midrange and the line. It’d be surprising if that number doesn’t go up.
Fundamental defender who shows a good feel for positioning. He rarely makes mistakes. And he’s an active help defender.
MINUSES
He’s right-hand dominant as a ball handler. Improving his left would make him far more dynamic in creation situations from the elbows and post.
Undersized for his position, which affects his ability to make a significant impact on the boards and when defending the pick-and-roll.
Slow-footed defender who needs to improve significantly on the ball to fit into a switch-heavy scheme. Because he’s not a great rim protector either, he doesn’t have a distinguishing defensive skill at this stage.
NBA.com / Rotowire
Overview
Hall spent the four years of his college career with the Clemson Tigers, and while he came off the bench throughout his freshman year, he grabbed a starting role as a sophomore and never let it go. Hall averaged 3.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.2 blocks across 10 minutes per game in his first year with the program, but those numbers skyrocketed as soon as he moved into the starting lineup. Hall averaged at least 15 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in each of his final three seasons with Clemson, though his senior year was the best from a statistical perspective. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 18.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game in 2023-24 while starting in each of his 36 appearances. Hall was named to the 2023-24 All-ACC First Team a year after being named to the All-ACC Third Team in 2022-23. He was also named in the 2023-24 Naismith Trophy Preseason and Midseason Watch List as well as the 2023-24 Wooden Award in Preseason, Midseason and Late Season. Hall ranked fourth in points per game in the ACC during the 2023-24 campaign and made it to the 2024 NCAA Tournament All-Region.
Analysis
Hall has an impressive build and shouldn’t have significant issues defending bigs at the next level. Even though he’s expected to go through an adjustment period, he should hold his own — and then some — defensively in the NBA. However, he’s not as advanced on the offensive end of the court. Hall is comfortable finishing around the rim, but he’s not a good shooter and might have issues if forced to play near the perimeter or stretch the floor. Ultimately, his shooting touch might determine his draft stock and position at the next level because if he can’t hit shots from the perimeter, he’ll be forced to stay as an old-school big man. Plus, he’s not the best rebounder for a player of his size, and he gets boxed out far too often, especially considering his massive frame.
Projection
Hall is an athletic big that can get the job done on both ends of the court. His offensive game has room to grow. Ultimately, his shooting ability will determine the kind of career he’ll have at the next level. He has many similarities with Brandon Clarke, but if his shot doesn’t progress, he might end up like Bismack Biyombo, but not as good of a rebounder.
Wasserman, Bleacher Report
May 21 Mock Draft Spot: No. 45
Team: Clemson
Position: PF/C
Size: 6'8", 240 lbs
Age: 22, Senior
Nationality: American
Pro comparison: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl
PJ Hall didn't scrimmage in Chicago after participating last year. There is ultimately enough game film of the senior playing against NBA-caliber bigs from the ACC. Hall will still have to sell teams on his shooting during workouts, but he's consistently improved his range, and between his physical profile and fundamentals around the post, his post scoring feels translatable.
David Jones
Forward, 6-6, 195lb
BPM #59
PRPG #33
Why does BPM love him?
Excellent rebounder,
Efficient TS% on a very high Usage Rate.
High Steal Rate, low Foul Rate.
Shoots a lot of FTs at 79.7% FT.
Shot a respectable 38.0% 3P on high volume (208 3PA).
Why isn’t he in the first round?
He’s a four-year senior who went through three schools.
Buzz about “motor and accountability” issues.
Apricot’s Highly Questionable Statistical Comps
This is from an experimental program finding closest statistical comparisons to other NCAA players since 2010.
Josh Hart 2017
Sindarius Thornwell 2017
Lazar Hayward 2010
Kevin Hervey 2018
James Anderson 2010
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 2013
NBA.com / Rotowire
Overview
Prior to college, Jones was a four-star recruit by Rivals and a three-star recruit according to 247Sports composite rankings. He had plenty of high-level organized basketball experience playing for the Dominican Republic’s national team. He participated in the U16 and U18 Americas Championships and the U17 World Cup. Jones committed to playing college basketball at DePaul. During his 2020-21 freshman year, he started in one of his nine appearances. He was quickly inserted into a bigger role, starting 27 of his 28 appearances as a sophomore. Following that season, Jones transferred to St. John’s, where he started 22 of 31 appearances. His senior campaign brought another transfer, this time to Memphis. That’s where the accolades poured in. As a full-time starter, Jones averaged 21.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.2 steals in 32.4 minutes. He was named All-AAC First Team and AP All-American Honorable Mention.
Analysis
The biggest leap in the lefty’s development has been his shooting. Never reaching the 30% threshold from deep prior to his senior year, Jones shot 79-for-208 (38%) from deep in 2023-24. Prolific 3-point shooting was a major part of his arsenal, but Jones is far from just a pure spot-up threat. He got to the free-throw line 6.8 times per game as well (80%), proving able to throw around his NBA-ready body and finish at the rim. His rebounding and defense are also pluses, though he does have a tendency to gamble. At the NBA level, Jones projects as a wing, as his athleticism, handle and vision are all merely acceptable rather than standout. It’s possible he can initiate some secondary actions, but he doesn’t project as someone who will be running an offense.
Projection
Jones is a potential second-round pick who may be able to impact a bench unit sooner than later. His ability to knock down open shots and create looks for himself at his size gives him a fairly high floor. There are similarities in his game to someone like Josh Okogie, though Jones projects as a better three-point shooter.
MavsDraft
In terms of skill and talent, David Jones is a top 60 talent that can use his skillset to contribute to an NBA team right away on the wings with dynamic 3 level scoring. As an athletic slasher with a quick first step, Jones can quickly get to the rim and capitalize on switches by both being quicker than a big and overpowering guards. When not creating out of isolation, he uses his shooting threat to quickly attack closeouts, using a unique up-fake that gets defenders out of positions. From there, he can blow by defenders and break down the defense, allowing for favorable opportunities offensively.
Jones can easily play as an off-ball threat, cutting well when he actively moves off the ball, and he has a reliable jump shot, albeit a near anomaly shooting season. His shot mechanics check out positively, being easily repeatable with a smooth release.
… read the original article for lots more …
Defensively, it’s hard to gauge what type of player Jones is. Prior to joining Memphis, he lacked discipline, often gambling for steals in the half-court, making him a boom-or-bust defender for most possessions. At Memphis, they changed his role to be a more controlled version of this as a free safety that guarded the far-side defense, but some of his bad habits still came out, just in a different ways than before.
…
I have also received intel about David Jones’ accountability and motor, which from my sources is a red flag. This is easily visible in many of the clips above, and is something he will need to win teams over within the pre-draft process in interviews and workouts.
On a statistical note, Jones’ combination of steal-generating ability, 3 point rate at his size, and overall productive impact measure well compared to former 3&D prospects. While the defense is iffy, if it does translate in the right environment and he can become a better decision-maker to scale down into an off-ball role, there is some upside for him to be a role player on a winning team. RJ Hunter feels like a floor for Jones, although the circumstances surrounding each other, but even Darun Hilliard wasn’t an entirely different prospect. Just because some of these players didn’t work out doesn’t mean it is a failing archetype, but the players who played in good conferences mostly resemble Jones’ archetype, and are seen as a valuable role.
RJ Hunter was a top tier shooter, but struggled to scale up from Georgia State, and he had some knee injuries. D’Moi Hodge still has NBA upside after spending his rookie year in the G League. KCP is a championship winning 3&D wing. Taurean Prince has proven himself as a rotation wing for many years. Hilliard was a good prospect that I liked in the past, combining size and shooting but never overcoming his subpar athleticism and lack of rim pressure.
Overall, Jones’ ability to score the ball and rebound well for his position will get him on an NBA floor, but how he composes himself once he gets minutes will dictate how many minutes he can play, and how long his NBA career is. His talent is undeniable, and the breakthroughs at Memphis should be applauded, but teams will need to approach his intangibles with caution. Turning 23 years old shortly after the season starts gives him a slim margin for error to get himself trending positively, so he will need to come into the NBA with a chip on his shoulder to overcome these flags.
Projected draft range: 50-undrafted
Expected role: 3 level scorer with rebounding ability.
Unplayable if: Motor and accountability issues hold him back from maximizing his tools and skillset.
Exceeds expectations if: Intel ends up being irrelevant, and his defense + tendencies end up positively scaling up to the NBA.
Report from the NBA Combine
Along with dozens of other draft hopefuls, the Dominican Republic native underwent strength and agility testing, then played in two scrimmages. In a combined 33 minutes of playing time, Jones had 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists, one steal and four turnovers. He was 3-for-10 from the field overall and 1 of 5 from the 3-point line.
It was an underwhelming showing for the first-team All-AAC performer (who averaged 21.8 points and 7.6 rebounds a game for Penny Hardaway’s Tigers last season), according to multiple scouts and observers who are also in attendance.
“He was on the outside (of the NBA draft) looking in, in my view at least,” ESPN draft analyst Jonathan Givony told The Commercial Appeal. “(And) he didn’t play as well as he probably needed to (in order) to improve his standing.”
Despite Jones’ stellar year at Memphis, most onlookers agree his decision-making, ballhandling, shot selection and size either needed improvement or were working against him. Listed at 6-foot-6 on the Tigers’ roster, Jones measured in at 6-3½ (without shoes) this week. Boris Beric, an independent scouting consultant for NBA and G League organizations, said he had expected Jones to show more progress.
“He looked overwhelmed and overmatched at the combine, especially with the ball in his hands,” Beric said. “I do like David, to be clear. His skill set is what NBA teams are theoretically looking for as an all-around player. (But) I think he struggled here.”
Does a rough few days automatically mean Jones will return to Memphis? Not necessarily. If he goes undrafted, an NBA team might be willing to sign him to a two-way contract — each team has three of those at its disposal.
John Hollinger, a senior NBA columnist for The Athletic and a former vice president of basketball operations for the Memphis Grizzlies, believes it’s “unlikely” Jones gets drafted. A two-way contract is not out of the question.
“But he might have to play summer league first to get it," Hollinger said. “It seems like he would do better financially getting another year of NIL money. Unless he gets a crazy offer from an overseas league.”
As Beric sees it, Jones’ prospects for a two-way contract also might have taken a hit this week.
“I thought he would definitely be a guy who deserves a two-way deal if he went pro this year because of his dribble-pass-shoot skill set and overall feel for the game,” Beric said. “Now I’m not sure he even gets a two-way deal. And even if he does, it’s not a lock he stays on that contract throughout the year.
"(Jones) just needs to polish everything up and it would benefit him to come back (to Memphis) to work on that."
Jamison Battle
Forward, 6-7, 225lb
BPM #174
PRPG #102
Why does BPM love him?
Shooting shooting shooting
#9 in the country in 3P% with 43.3% on a whopping 210 3PA.
6th in the NCAA with 92.6% FT.
This resulted in a very high Offensive Rating, great EFG and TS%
Not a lot of fouls or turnovers.
Why isn’t he in the first round?
He’s a fifth year senior.
His defense is eh at the college level; how will it be in the NBA?
Low block, steal, assist rate.
Final year was his first elite shooting season. His career 83.3% FT says the improvement might be for real.
Apricot’s Highly Questionable Statistical Comps
This is from an experimental program finding closest statistical comparisons to other NCAA players since 2010.
Julian Strawther 2023
Allen Crabbe 2012
Damyean Dotson 2017
Alan Lu, NBA Scouting Live
Height: 6-7
Weight: 220
College: Ohio State
Classification: Fifth-Year Senior
Birthdate: 5/10/2001
Projected Draft Range: 2nd Round to Undrafted
Pros:
Solid shooter, especially from deep
Adequate scorer off the dribble
Moves fairly well off the ball on offense
Adequate rebounder for his size
Solid motor
Cons:
Lacks an elite first step off the dribble
Needs to improve his passing ability
May struggle to guard quicker players
Only an average athlete
Old for a draft prospect, may have limited upside
Summary:
Jamison Battle is a skilled swingman that can shoot and score the basketball. He played at George Washington and Minnesota prior to transferring to play at Ohio State, and he also had a solid showing at the 2024 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament. He’ll need to show NBA teams that he can guard upper-echelon opponents, but his jump shot could allow him to make it to the NBA someday.
Blake Hinson
Guard, 6-7, 235lb
BPM #230
PRPG #64
Why does BPM love him?
High Offensive Rating, efficient shooting (EFG, TS%), on average Usage.
Doesn’t turn the ball over.
Why isn’t he in the first round?
He’s a four-year player with two years medical redshirt.
Defensive BPM is negative and lower than average assists and steals.
42.1% 3P shooting is a spike from past years. Career 68.8% FT and 37.8% 3P makes one suspicious, especially the FT%.
Apricot’s Highly Questionable Statistical Comps
This is from an experimental program finding closest statistical comparisons to other NCAA players since 2010.
Gradey Dick 2023
Seth Lundy 2023
Elijah Hughes 2019
Jordan Hawkins 2023
Corey Kispert 2021
(The similarity scores were low, though.)
Alan Lu, NBA Scouting Live
Height: 6-7
Weight: 245
College: Pittsburgh
Classification: Sixth-Year Senior
Birthdate: 12/26/1999
Projected Draft Range: 2nd Round to Undrafted
Pros:
Good shooter
Decent scorer off the dribble
Moves fairly well off the ball on offense
Adequate defender
Above average athlete
Cons:
Needs to improve his free throw shooting
Lacks an elite first step off the dribble
Not an elite ball handler
Not an elite athlete
Old for a draft prospect, may have limited upside
Summary:
Blake Hinson is a strong, mobile combo forward that can score the basketball in a variety of ways. He can shoot it from deep, and he can operate out of the post to knock down shots. He is having a good senior season for Pittsburgh, and he helped them get a win over Mississippi State in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. He is a skilled offensive player that could project to be a versatile role player in the NBA.
Game Report
Blake Hinson had an uncharacteristically bad shooting game in his team’s loss to North Carolina. Known for his shooting prowess, he actually didn’t shoot the ball well at all in this game. He didn’t look to score off the dribble that often, but he was able to use a jump stop move to score once. He also ran the floor to score on the break.
However, he often had trouble knocking down threes. He did run off of a ball screen to make an open three early on. He also used a pump fake to make a pull-up three another time. However, he would often miss on spot-up threes, and he couldn’t find his rhythm from beyond the arc in this game. He also had trouble scoring out of the post, as he just tried to rely on overpowering his opponents, but he didn’t show much in the way of moves, and he missed a couple of times around the basket.
He also was called for a push off when attempting to make a move out of the high post, which led him to commit an offensive foul and a turnover. Though he didn’t get many rebounds, he was able to chip in to get a few of them in this game. He also was able to make some solid defensive plays, as he would contest shots to force some misses. He also leapt up to deflect a pass out of bounds another time.
Overall, Blake Hinson didn’t shoot the ball very well, and he struggled to knock down shots in this game. He’ll need to regain his shooting touch, but despite his off shooting night in this game, he has shot the ball well this season, and he could project into a 3 and D role in the NBA.
NBA.com / Pitt Athletics
Height: 6-7
Weight: 240
Position: PF
College: Pittsburgh
Age: 24
2023-24 Season Stats
PPG: 18.5
RPG: 4.4
APG: 0.8
BLK: 0.2
STL: 0.5
Player Bio
Courtesy of Pittsburgh Athletics
Career
Has registered 1,098 points (11.4 ppg.), 440 rebounds (4.6 rpg.), and 188 three-point field goals in 96 career games.
Scored in double-figures 54 times in his career and has made three or more three-pointers in a game 29 times
Has topped the 20-point mark 11 times, including nine times during the 2022-23 season
Shooting 41.4 percent (366-of-885) from the field, including 35.6 percent (188-of-528) from three-point range
Has six career double-doubles, including five at Pitt
2022-23
Second Team All-ACC selection
Named Riley Wallace Award winner, given annually by CollegeInsider.com to the top impact transfer in the NCAA
Averaged 15.3 points per game and scored in double figures 30 times with 15 or more points in a game on 19 occasions
Led the Panthers in 20+ points games (9), double-doubles (5), rebounds (6.0 rpg.), and three-point field goals (97)
Ranks third all-time in program history for three-point field goals made in a season (97)
Recorded 30 double-figure scoring games and 16 games with three or more three-point field goals
Ranked among the ACC leaders in scoring (T-12th), rebounding (13th), three-point field goals (2.69 3pg. - 5th), three-point percentage (.380 - 4th), and defensive rebounds (4.58 drpg. - 13th)
Recorded five double-doubles, all coming in the form of rebounds and points
Vote
You can vote here. You can also post a comment vote which counts as 10 votes. (Or both.) However, to officially count, the comment must be include exactly one hashtag out of #Hall, #Jones, #Battle, #Hinson.
Funny variations cause extra work for me.
I’m told Warriors Assistant Coach, Anthony Vereen will be the Head Coach for the Warriors’ Summer League team. He has been w the org since ‘17 when he was on the SC coaching staff. He’s been on the Dubs’ staff for two seasons. AV has played a vital role in JK’s development.
https://x.com/JDumasReports/status/1801261144000323963
Thanks Minny for upsetting DEN only to shit your pants against this lame Mavs team. Way to ruin the bracket and a good Finals.
East, you suck as always.