Atlanta Hawks: Prospect focus: Vanderbilt’s John Jenkins
The first time Larry Drew saw John Jenkins play live, during a workout in Santa Barbara, the Vanderbilt guard didn’t shoot well. The second time Drew saw him, at the Chicago pre-draft camp, Jenkins was “just OK” shooting it.
That changed during Jenkins’ workout at Philips Arena.
“He came here and he shot the hell out of it,” Drew said. “He has an NBA skill. He’s a guy that, watching him play and the way teams play him, it’s kind of that J.J. Redick feel. If he’s on the court, you better be with him at all times. It would be great to have a guy like that.”
Jenkins’ shooting display during his Hawks workout was no fluke. He was an elite shooter in college, posting the best effective field-goal percentage among D1 perimeter players.
Jenkins will have to prove he can do enough other things well enough to help offensively once defenders crowd his jump shot–presumably John Hollinger’s draft rater doesn’t like Jenkins (Insider) because of concerns about his ability to do so. His assist rate ranks last among DraftExpress.com’s top shooting guard prospects and his free-throw rate wasn’t much better.
The more pressing questions regarding Jenkins are his potential as a defender because he’s not particularly quick or athletic. Not surprisingly, Jenkins said teams have keyed in on testing his defensive ability during workouts.
“I’m a good shooter,” Jenkins said. “They know I can shoot and score the ball but they need to know if I can play defense. This league is so good, you have got to be able to defend, too. I just want to prove that I can.”
He apparently made a good case during his Hawks workout. Drew, Dave Pendergraft and Rick Sund all used the word “deceptive” to describe Jenkins’ athleticism.
Jenkins said he’s heard that a lot along the workout trail.
“They really underestimate it,” he said. “I didn’t show it so much at Vandy because that wasn’t my role and I didn’t get enough opportunities. But now that I’m in my individual workouts I can show that I can dunk the ball and do a lot of good things athletically.”
Jenkins rarely missed while putting up shots after his workout, but that was expected. I was surprised to see that Jenkins has good size. He’s legitimately 6-4 with long arms and broad shoulders.
Drew, Pendergraft and Sund all said they believe Jenkins has the potential to be an adequate NBA defender.
“I think so,” Drew said. “I think he’s got the package. It’s just the know-how. Knowing personnel, knowing how to defend certain guys, what they like to do. This kid, he’s a smart guy.”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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182 comments Add your comment
cp
June 20th, 2012
3:30 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHG2DhIwf-4
Interview of Hollis Thompson
brigadierjerry
June 20th, 2012
3:32 pm
im good slimjr. see what happens in draft in about a week or so.
yes wizards looking to draft beal, they dont think j crawford is a starter
contrary to some, i am not sure i see th heat being a back to back nba champions if they win it even if some ring chasers go there. hawks if they do well has a chance again to get to ecf. celtics wont be as good neither chicago. pacers, philly knicks hawks nets if howard tier below miami.
cp
June 20th, 2012
3:34 pm
This is a nice article on Will Bartohttp://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/memphis_barton_looks_past_size_for_success/11054651n.
Slimjr
June 20th, 2012
3:37 pm
Here’s a horrible stat for the Braves Fanatic:
The last time Larry “Chipper’ Jones and his boys went to a “CHAMPIONSHIP” [1999] they were swept like a bunch of sissy…..
The word “Choke” comes to mind Genius…..
Buddy Grizzard
June 20th, 2012
3:38 pm
“What’s the Wizards motivation?”
Make the playoffs. Unfortunately that’s all they will do. This doesn’t make them contenders. Southest Division just got tougher though.
Ra'mon
June 20th, 2012
3:43 pm
MC, I understand his assists and free throw shooting is down. But how is he at ball handling and creating his own shot? Or is he a spot up shooter?
Slimjr
June 20th, 2012
3:44 pm
Bjerry, I have a gut feeling the Knicks are going to be pretty good this coming season…
Maybe 56-63 wins?
Najeh Davenpoop
June 20th, 2012
3:45 pm
“What’s the Wizards motivation? They already have Nene (4 years, $52 mil), so why trade for Okafor (2 years, $28 mil) and Ariza (2 years, $15 mil)? Too bad we couldn’t find a deal that involved them taking Marvin.”
Sounds like the type of deal a team would make if they are tired of losing money and want to “win now”, even if that “winning” only gets them to the first or second round. In other words, kind of like a deal the Hawks would make.
Wall – (insert SG here) – Ariza – Nene – Okafor
Jordan Crawford – Chris Singleton – Jan Vesely – Trevor Booker – Kevin Seraphin
That will be a very good defensive team. Good defenders at every position and plenty of athleticism on the bench and depth at the big man positions (which they will need when Okafor and Nene inevitably get injured). If they add someone like Ray Allen to that mix they will be a dangerous team.
Whether they seriously contend will entirely depend on whether Wall can become a Derrick Rose-caliber player or remains at his current level.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 20th, 2012
3:47 pm
If Beal is all he’s cracked up to be, he would be a perfect fit on the Wizards.
Definitely an interesting roster, but they better go out and sign some veteran shooters and hope Wall makes the leap, or else they are stuck in Hawks-like purgatory.
O'Brien
June 20th, 2012
3:49 pm
Najeh,
I think this also confirms that Wiz were not sold on Andre Drummond.
The Hornets will probably draft a center now at #10 (imo).
Buddy Grizzard
June 20th, 2012
3:51 pm
“wizards looking to draft beal, they dont think j crawford is a starter”
Curb thy tongue! JC2 is the second coming on this blog!
Melvin
June 20th, 2012
3:54 pm
The Hawks really need to consider using the amnesty exemption on Marvin this summer if they can’t find a suitable trade for him. It’s highly unlikely that they can afford to amnesty Joe so they may as well use the exemption on Marvin prior to the start of free agency to allow other teams an opportunity to sign him before using their cap space to fill out the roster. Hopefully Marvin’s next team will pay a good portion of his contract to give the Hawks some relief. No need to keep this guy on the roster when you can add cheaper talent for more production.
brigadierjerry
June 20th, 2012
3:54 pm
slimjr,
i could see 50-55 for knicks. nash and kidd said they wouldnt mind playing for knicks but sounds like fake hustle to me
also, may be me but i am somewhat big on past history and vandy guys dont translate well into the nba sometimes
Ra'mon
June 20th, 2012
3:55 pm
The Hawks are rumored to be gearing up to make a run at Ray Allen. And I forget, but I think it was Sund who gave Allen his BIG contract in his career when he extended with Seattle. So maybe that connection may bring Allen here. Along with knowing that, he will end up getting significant time in this line up.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 20th, 2012
3:55 pm
“I think this also confirms that Wiz were not sold on Andre Drummond.
The Hornets will probably draft a center now at #10 (imo).”
I don’t know if the Hornets should really be targeting or avoiding a position at #10, other than making sure they don’t draft someone who duplicates what Anthony Davis does. They are starting from scratch. Their mindset should be (and probably is) to take the best player available.
As for the Wizards I think their owner was just tired of trying to build a young team after seeing the Blatche-McGee experiment fail, and probably gave their GM a directive to get some veterans in there to accelerate Wall’s development and see some return on his investment (since he bought the team relatively recently).
northcyde
June 20th, 2012
3:56 pm
O’Brien
June 20th, 2012
2:45 pm
What’s the Wizards motivation? They already have Nene (4 years, $52 mil), so why trade for Okafor (2 years, $28 mil) and Ariza (2 years, $15 mil)? Too bad we couldn’t find a deal that involved them taking Marvin.
New Orleans has a ton of cap flexibility now, and will be able to match any contract offer Eric Gordon gets. If they are willing to spend money, and get their draft picks right, they should be competing for a playoff spot in no time (imo).
***************
What’s the Wiz’s motivation? Maybe they’re tired of losing.
Rashard Lewis was literally dead weight on their bench. So instead of simply believing in “cap space” and letting him walk at the end of the year, they decide to get 2 decent players who have been starters, for that money.
Washington’s roster right now
PG – Wall /
G – Ariza ( who may be a spot up 2 on this team ) / Jordan C ( 6th man )
F – Vessley / Singleton
PF – Okafor / Blatche / Booker
C – Nene / Seraphin
They simply want to build a team, instead of “hoping” that “cap space” will land them the big prize. Plus Okafor only has 2 years left on his deal, which means they can trade him for somebody after next season, if need be.
This also proves that people worried about JJ’s contract in Years 4 – 6, need not worry that much. They’ll be SOMEONE who will take that dude, while giving us players in return for him. When the Hawks decide that they want to move his contract, they’ll be able to do it.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 20th, 2012
3:57 pm
“The Hawks are rumored to be gearing up to make a run at Ray Allen. And I forget, but I think it was Sund who gave Allen his BIG contract in his career when he extended with Seattle. So maybe that connection may bring Allen here. Along with knowing that, he will end up getting significant time in this line up.”
I seriously doubt players like Ray Allen and Steve Nash — future Hall of Famers looking for a chance for one last ring — are going to come here. The Hawks lucked out with T-Mac coming here, but T-Mac’s agenda was more to reestablish himself as a viable NBA player than to win a championship. Allen and Nash are smart enough to know that they are not going to win a title here. I am fully expecting them to end up with the Spurs, Heat, Thunder, Bulls, or some similar team.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 20th, 2012
3:59 pm
“This also proves that people worried about JJ’s contract in Years 4 – 6, need not worry that much. They’ll be SOMEONE who will take that dude, while giving us players in return for him. When the Hawks decide that they want to move his contract, they’ll be able to do it.”
Lewis’ contract is expiring. He was previously traded, yeah, but he was traded for Gilbert Arenas, whose contract was arguably even worse. Joe expires in 2016. Until then, his trade value is close to zero unless the Hawks are willing to take back a worse contract or find a way to simply salary dump him on a team that thinks he can put them over the top.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 20th, 2012
4:01 pm
2 homers for Heyward. .960 OPS in June and climbing. Maybe there is hope yet that one of Atlanta’s sports teams contains a superstar.
Astro Joe
June 20th, 2012
4:02 pm
Also consider that Washington is a great market for Big East basketball and Okafor may sell a ticket or 3 with his return to the East coast. I like the trade myself. Stock piling serviceable bigs is never an awful idea.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 20th, 2012
4:03 pm
“They simply want to build a team, instead of “hoping” that “cap space” will land them the big prize.”
Cap space is useful for far more than just “landing the big prize”.
Section 303
June 20th, 2012
4:07 pm
As much as I would love the Hawks to draft Draymond Green (Go Spartans!), I think Jenkins is the guy I want the Hawks to draft. Not only can he shoot, he can defend. Skills that will get him on the floor next season, which is what the Hawks need out of this draft. A player that can contribute right away.
Slimjr
June 20th, 2012
4:16 pm
bjerry,
I agree [Nash and Kid] just thinking out loud about signing with the Knicks..Amare’ has been talking to Nash to come play with him again though..I had read that a couple of months ago..
Nash and Lin? What a combo? Huh? lol…
Then the Knicks become real dangerous in the East!
Astro Joe
June 20th, 2012
4:17 pm
If Joe can survive another year with LD, his value will increase as soon as he is out of a system that encourages any of the 5 players on the floor to launch a jumper. Heck, most of these players will improve if they play in a system that optimizes their individual talent, as opposed to simply create space and time to heave a jumper.
I don’t want Ray Allen on this squad. If the Hawks decide to spend more than the vet’s minimum on a free agent, it needs to be on someone who can operate INSIDE of 16 feet.
Slimjr
June 20th, 2012
4:20 pm
Andrew Nicholson is NBA ready…
6′9.5″ 240lbs with a 7′4″ wing span…Has a superior post game compared to any Atlanta Hawk Big right now…Oh did I mention he has a beautiful jumper, with 3pt. range to boot?
Ra'mon
June 20th, 2012
4:22 pm
Najeh, Nash thought of going to Toronto and to New York. Players do look at the Hawks as being on the brink of having something special if they can keep this core together. Think about if Marvin’s salary spot was going to Nash and Kirk’s was going towards Ray Allen. You think the Hawks wouldn’t have still been playing in the ECF with a healthy Zaza? The Hawks have Kirk’s salary off of the books. If they can find a way to get Cleveland or another team (even LAL) to take on Marvin’s contract for a 2nd round pick, then they will be in a great position to add some veteran skilled players WHILE adding youth through the draft.
O'Brien
June 20th, 2012
4:22 pm
Give N.O credit too. They have no problems paying Rashard Lewis $13 mil to go away.
Astro Joe
June 20th, 2012
4:23 pm
Why did the Hornets make the trade, that should be the question? To clear up space because so many free agents want to play with a shotblocker and live in a city that still has significant infrastructure issues? When Eric Gordon arrived in Nahlins, they had Kamen, Landry, Okafor, Ariza and Jack. Now, he has Davis and mostly, he has Jack… Jack-chit.
Astro Joe
June 20th, 2012
4:28 pm
Ra’mon, I think when we did the math before, getting rid of Marvin’s salary would free up around $5M in cap space (not the whole $7-8M of his salary). And that includes Hinrich walking out the door. So instead of Nash or Allen, think more like Foye or Pietrus (which would not be bad acquisitions but would not exactly translate into an ECF appearance).
Ra'mon
June 20th, 2012
4:31 pm
AJ, if you have Zaza, Al, Josh, and Ivan coming back. You’re only one more big away from having a full rotation. Look at both of the teams in the finals. Neither are using a big rotation of more than three or four players. However, with Kirk gone, and Marvin being a liability, you’re needing a spot up shooter (Allen), and a true facilitator (Nash), to round up your back court rotation and to bring the most out of this roster. That’s to go along with your first and second round pick.
Ra'mon
June 20th, 2012
4:34 pm
AJ, I think Allen would accept a 3 year $15 million deal or a 2 year $11 million deal.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 20th, 2012
4:40 pm
“Nash thought of going to Toronto and to New York.”
Nash is Canadian and played six years with Amare Stoudemire. I doubt that Ray Allen’s connection with our wholly uninspiring GM, if there is one, is even close to the kind of connection that might attract Nash to New York or Toronto.
I think if players thought the Hawks had something special going, it wouldn’t have been so hard to get Shaq to sign here a few years ago. Players see the best player on the team demanding a trade, Charles Barkley roasting this team on national television, and the lowest-paid coach in the league getting his option picked up because he agrees to be cheap. I don’t see anything about this franchise that would inspire a future Hall of Famer who wants to win a championship to come here.
Of course if you replace two marginal players on this team with two Hall of Famers, their prospects improve considerably. I just don’t think this team is capable of making that happen.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 20th, 2012
4:45 pm
“Why did the Hornets make the trade, that should be the question? To clear up space because so many free agents want to play with a shotblocker and live in a city that still has significant infrastructure issues?”
Because that team with Okafor and Ariza is a lottery team, and the few wins those two would get them only serve to weaken their lottery chances next year and do nothing to get them closer to being a contending team.
There are four kinds of teams in the NBA:
1 – the team that has the pieces to seriously contend (e.g. Miami, OKC)
2 – the team that sucks bad enough to be able to draft and/or trade for the pieces that will allow them to seriously contend (e.g. New Orleans)
3 – the team that has the pieces to be good and the cap flexibility to possibly add or trade for the pieces that will allow them to seriously contend (e.g. Indiana)
4 – the team that has the pieces to be good but no cap flexibility to possibly add or trade for the pieces that will allow them to seriously contend (e.g. the Hawks)
#4 is the worst place to be. #1 is ideal, #3 is pretty good, but if you can’t be either of those, you are better off being #2 than #4.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 20th, 2012
4:47 pm
Paying Okafor and Ariza $21 million combined in 2013-14 gets the Hornets nowhere. Losing the one or two extra games they will lose next year because of their departure may be the difference between drafting a superstar next year and drafting a Marvin next year.
Buddy Grizzard
June 20th, 2012
4:50 pm
That pretty much sums it up Najeh, or as Worldwide said… it’s tough out here for a Hawks fan.
Buddy Grizzard
June 20th, 2012
4:51 pm
Ray Allen is done. Rather get JC1 back.
Ra'mon
June 20th, 2012
4:57 pm
Buddy you said you’d rather have JC1 than Allen? Allen was injured during the playoffs. Yet I’m sure that Allen had a much better season than JC1 did.
EmirS.
June 20th, 2012
4:57 pm
From the previous blog:
So the Finals are a 2-3-2 format? While all the other rounds are 2-2-1-1-1
If so then I honestly had no idea. I thought the Finals we’re a 2-2-1-1-1. Since that’s not the case…then I don’t see OKC winning Game 5 in Miami.
Buddy Grizzard
June 20th, 2012
4:58 pm
“Why did the Hornets make the trade, that should be the question?”
To try the OKC model. OKC got their core in consecutive drafts, not by adding a high draft pick to existing veterans. The Sonics/OKC got rid of every veteran that preceded the drafting of Durant.
Think about the Cavs after they drafted LeBron. They got good too fast and didn’t have consecutive high draft picks to surround him with talent (they could have done better with the picks they did get). By dumping the vets, NO is saying “Davis is our Durant, let’s get our Westbrook and Harden in the next two drafts.”
Astro Joe
June 20th, 2012
4:59 pm
This trade could easily result in Eric Gordon taking the QO so he can bail and choose his team next summer. I absolutely understand trading Okafor & Ariza, I don’t get trading them for a non-basketball asset. No real draft pick (sorry, not expecting a pick after 40 to do much for them or us). Seems to me that they may have inadvertently “traded” Eric Gordon by accepting stale donuts in return for Kamen, Landry, Okafor and Ariza. Anthony Davis may become the modern day version of KG in Minnesota.
Buddy Grizzard
June 20th, 2012
5:00 pm
Ra’mon, Allen can’t create his own shot. He relies on multiple screens and an elite point guard to deliver him the ball. The Hawks have neither the coaching to get him open looks, nor an elite point guard to pass him the ball. Because of the Hawks deficiencies, they need a scorer like JC1 who can score in isolation. They are both equal defensive liabilities.
UGA
June 20th, 2012
5:05 pm
If we add Ray Allen, stay healthy and even return our roster from last season, that will put us 2nd in the East easily.
Slimjr
June 20th, 2012
5:13 pm
UGA, I thought you were crazy at 1st, but you know you maybe onto something wonderful?Hehehehe
Ra'mon
June 20th, 2012
5:14 pm
Buddy, how many open looks did Marvin and Joe get last season? So you mean to tell me, that Allen on the perimeter spotting up, wouldn’t open the lane for Josh to penetrate and make teams less likely to double down on Josh in the post? It doesn’t take just an elite point guard to get a great shooter the ball. Rondo just became an elite point guard the last two seasons. And Josh is as good of a passer as majority of the point guards in the league now (especially with half of them becoming scoring point guards). You give Ray Allen, the open attempts that Marvin had last season, and you have more than enough fire power to withstand a lot of scoring droughts they had this season. Teague – Allen – Joe – Josh – Al make you play 5 on 5 and not 4 on 5 when the Hawks are on offense. And it prevents you from being able to run zone.
cp
June 20th, 2012
5:15 pm
Here are the Will Barton and Jeff Taylor interviews after their workouts
http://www.nba.com/hawks/2012-draft-workout
Slimjr
June 20th, 2012
5:21 pm
BG,
Ray has a bum ankle that he will have surgically repaired in this off season..
In his prime he could put the ball on the floor to reset or attack the rim. He still shows flashes..I believe he has gas left in the tank since he’s such a well conditioned athlete…
Rod from College Park
June 20th, 2012
5:23 pm
“Ra’mon, Allen can’t create his own shot. He relies on multiple screens and an elite point guard to deliver him the ball. The Hawks have neither the coaching to get him open looks, nor an elite point guard to pass him the ball. Because of the Hawks deficiencies, they need a scorer like JC1 who can score in isolation. They are both equal defensive liabilities.”
Most sensible thing you have posted in about 6 months.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 20th, 2012
5:26 pm
“This trade could easily result in Eric Gordon taking the QO so he can bail and choose his team next summer.”
If he does that, the Hornets still have seven months to trade him for a basketball asset. And taking the QO would be monumentally risky on Gordon’s part considering his injury history.
“Anthony Davis may become the modern day version of KG in Minnesota.”
Only if the Hornets try to circumvent cap rules to sign the modern day version of Joe Smith and end up forfeiting five first round draft picks.
Rod from College Park
June 20th, 2012
5:29 pm
“Buddy, how many open looks did Marvin and Joe get last season? So you mean to tell me, that Allen on the perimeter spotting up, wouldn’t open the lane for Josh to penetrate and make teams less likely to double down on Josh in the post?”
Ra’mon. The difference is teams would not leave Ray Allen open like they do Marvin, and Ray does not posses the ability to create his own shot anymore. He scores coming off screens, and picks which is not apart of the Hawks offense. Yes he may help to spread the floor and prevent double teams, but its not like our stars like to operate in the post, or drive by their man and get to the rim anyway. He would just add to the jumpshot fest.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 20th, 2012
5:33 pm
“Think about the Cavs after they drafted LeBron. They got good too fast and didn’t have consecutive high draft picks to surround him with talent (they could have done better with the picks they did get).”
Cleveland passed on Amare Stoudemire, Nene, and Caron Butler in 2002 to draft DaJuan Wagner, passed on Josh Smith and Al Jefferson in 2004 to draft Luke Jackson, didn’t have a 2005 lottery pick because they traded it in a 1997 deal for Wesley Person, and f-cked up by letting Boozer become a free agent in 2004 when they could have exercised an option on him. Four fatal moves that could have changed the course of their franchise with respect to putting talent around LeBron, and that’s despite getting good much faster than OKC after they drafted Durant.