OKC Thunder trades five second-round picks to the New York Knicks for the 26th pick, which they used to select Dillon Jones

dillon-jones-stands-with-thunder-general-manager-sam-presti

The Oklahoma City Thunder have a treasure trove of draft picks they can use to pursue any player they want. On Draft Day, they utilized some of it, sending five second-round picks to the New York Knicks in exchange for the 26th pick, which they used to select 6-foot-5 forward Dillon Jones from Weber State.

Lots of upside

As the Thunder have shown over the last few years, they do not just pick a player for the heck of it. Draft picks in the league are a precious commodity, and sending five of them for just one player speaks volumes about the potential they see in Jones.

Jones was a standout player at Weber State, averaging 20.8 points and 9.8 rebounds per game in his junior season. He is known for rebounding—something OKC struggled with in their second-round loss to the Dallas Mavericks this past postseason.

“The Thunder traded up into this spot, which adds some difficulty to this evaluation. This feels early, but when Oklahoma City's front office likes someone, there's usually a reason,” Zach Buckley said of the native of Columbia, South Carolina.

He needs to round out his game

While Jones shone at Weber State, showcasing his tremendous basketball IQ and knack for getting buckets inside, he was not without flaws. In particular, Jones struggled with shooting from deep, making only 32 percent of his triples in the NCAA.

“He was super-productive at Weber State, but he also played a ball-dominant role that he won't handle in the NBA. There are also concerns with both his shooting and athleticism, and the list of modern wings who survive without at least one of those is tiny,” Buckley said.

“The Thunder are smart enough to find a fit for Jones, though, and they're deep enough that they won't need to rush him if he needs time to find his niche in the NBA.”