SEC Basketball: Buy or Sell top remaining 2019 NBA Draft decisions

Jordan Bone ( Tennessee) 6’3 Point Guard

2019 Per-Game Stats: 13.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 2 turnovers, 46.5% FG, 35.5% 3PT

Bone set the table for Tennessee over the past two seasons in Knoxville. It’s an easy cliche to use for a non-superstar point guard; but in this case, it’s an excellent description of his game. The 2018 and 2019 Volunteer squads will be remembered for Grant Williams’ toughness and everything Admiral Schofield but Jordan Bone was an incredibly crucial piece of the pie as well. Bone, above everything, was a team player at Tennessee. He found the open shooters, knew when to create his own shot, and played with effort on the defensive end. For a complimentary point guard, he was exactly what you wanted at the college level.

In the NBA, should he make it, his role would be almost identical, but he’d be coming off the pine rather than starting and serving as a top-3 scoring option, which is a perfectly suitable role for Bone. Across the NBA, backup point guards aren’t jaw-dropping athletes or remarkably gifted scorers. Rather, scouting departments seek reliable ballhandlers who can knock down shots and generate open looks for themselves and others. The position doesn’t require an alpha dog who dominates the offense–more often, simply someone with basketball intangibles and a high IQ.

Take the backups remaining in the playoffs. George Hill on the Bucks is a veteran with high-level shotmaking abilities; Fred VanVleet for Toronto is a former college star who competes with energy and makes the right decisions on offense; Golden State’s Shaun Livingston is a career backup who can’t shoot but creates for others and fits well within the Warriors quick half-court pace; and Evan Turner earns minutes for Portland because of his fearlessness and energy.

Simply put: The definition of a backup point guard in the NBA is a bungee cable and Jordan Bone doesn’t break it.

Now, I’d be pretty surprised if Bone came into the League and vaulted into a starting position, but I believe he can be a steady role player off the bench as a lead guard, but what are his calling cards?

1. Passing. Bone is a terrific passer who maintains elite vision across any situation. Whether he’s zooming down the court on a fast break or running a designed pick-and-roll, Bone makes timely and accurate passes with an aggressive zip. He’s an active passer–someone who is constantly engaged with his surroundings with the ball in his hands and refuses to make lazy passes. Bone remains aware of all four teammates and never hesitates to feet the open the man.
2. Versatility. Bone is a swiss army knife at point guard–he can play virtually any style of basketball and still thrive in his own ways. During a slugfest with Virginia where there’s maybe 10 possessions per game and the offense is exclusively half-court, Bone has proven his ability to create his own shot–primarily his trusty pull up mid-range jumper off a screen–and make the right pass when necessary. Likewise, in fast-paced shootouts, like in their three battles with Kentucky, Bone was superb. He’s an assassin in transition. With his overflowing toolbelt of offensive skills, Bone threatens as a passer, three-point and mid-range shooter, and capable finisher around the rim–plus, there aren’t many players who match his combination of velocity and comfort as a ballhandler.
3. Shooting. I’ve mentioned his ability to shoot a couple of times already, but as you know, the modern NBA is shooting-obsessive and it’s a trait that requires harkening on. For Bone, the base is there to be an average to an above-average shooter. From 10-15 feet, he’s already lethal, and with his high release, I expect he’ll remain able to get that particular shot off with ease. From the three-point line, though, improvements are necessary. Just a 35% shooter in college, Bone must prove he can at least sustain that percentage from a deeper line, and eventually improve into the upper-30s/low 40s. I think that’s an achievable goal given his track record. That high release will prove important for shooting over larger defenders and Bone was not a typical line-hugger–meaning, he connected occasionally from a few feet behind the arc; and attempted those shots with confidence and decent accuracy. Like 100% of NBA prospects, he needs to get into the gym and put up 500 threes a day.

Jordan Bone, in my view, has a decent chance to be Tennessee’s best pro from this group in five years. Sure, Grant Williams and Admiral Schofield shined as stars in Rocky Top, but Bone, to me, has all the requisite skills for a long, successful, and monetarily prosperous career in the National Basketball Association.

Verdict: BUY