Dillon Jones NBA draft projection: 5 landing spots for the Weber State forward feat. Toronto and more

Weber State forward Dillon Jones might not command as much notoriety as some of his peers due to playing for a relatively small school. But the fact remains: Jones is a solid basketball player — and a definitive NBA prospect.

Currently, he has led the Wildcats to an above .500 record in the Big Sky as their best scorer, passer, and rebounder. Not to mention, the junior is also a finalist for this season's Julius Erving Award, which is given to the country's top small forward.

All's well for the Weber State star, but with the 2024 NBA Draft looming, pundits are trying to determine where Dillon Jones could likely end up. Is he a lottery pick? A consensus first-rounder? Or will he slip into the second round and be a dark horse of a pick? Those questions will be answered here.

Dillon Jones NBA draft projection

Numerous mock drafts put Dillon Jones' NBA draft prospects as a solid, consensus first-round pick. A scouting report by Sports Illustrated dated June 1, 2023, paints the youngster in a good light, holding hopes for him being only the second Weber State Wildcat drafted after the indubitable Damian Lillard.

Here are the teams that could pick him up:

Toronto Raptors

The Raptors could pick up Jones with the 28th pick in Bleacher Report's latest mock draft. Jones is known as a powerful, agile wing who can easily average a double-double in points and rebounds. However, Toronto already has that kind of guy: Scottie Barnes. So if the Weber State star does get drafted by the Raptors, he will be a clear backup while Toronto tries to keep developing Barnes into the player they want him to be.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavs are projected to have the 23rd overall pick in the draft order, and they could be in need of a major upgrade to their small forwards.

Currently, they have the sweet-shooting Max Struss and Caris LeVert leading the position. But Dillon Jones would likely be a good upgrade over Struss, mainly due to his overall athleticism, size, and ability to create off the dribble — something that a high-usage wing needs to have. LeVert, on the other hand, was never really a physical kind of guy (his scoring ability notwithstanding).

But modern NBA teams have shown a need for a physical, powerful wing to not only be able to score both inside and out, but also handle a similar kind of player on defense. Think the likes of Zion Williamson, Jaylen Brown, or heck, even an older LeBron James. These guys can easily barrel into the lane against smaller, less physical defenders, or just take them to the post with little effort. Someone like Dillon Jones could find it easier to get up close and personal with them.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Projected to have the 27th pick, the Thunder does need to shore up their frontcourt depth a bit. They already have an excellent wing in Lu Dort, but his backups are not exactly much help. Dillon Jones would be a far better replacement for someone like, say, Keyontae Johnson because of his combination of physicality and scoring ability.

Dort is far more known as a defensive-minded guy, so having a potential double-double scorer like Jones back him up would be invaluable for an up-and-coming Thunder team. OKC could pick Jones either in the lottery or the latter half of the first round.

Sacramento Kings

Outside of Domantas Sabonis, the Kings aren't exactly among the most physical teams in the NBA. Their starting SF is also an aging Harrison Barnes who remains effective, but is now a step slower against modern, uber-athletic wings. Dillon Jones could be a good backup for him, bringing both physicality and scoring when they need the two qualities at hand without sacrificing a roster spot.

Minnesota Timberwolves

The Wolves have the chance to get the 29th pick, and if Dillon Jones is available then, they should snag him to give more offensive firepower to their three-spot. Because right now, none of their wings are exactly reliable when it comes to scoring the ball.

Current starter Jaden McDaniels is an excellent defensive player, but his backup is called Slow Mo for a reason — Kyle Anderson is far from a guy that one could rely on to be a dual-threat on the floor. With almost zero athleticism, Anderson's size and skillset is likely the only thing keeping him on the roster. But Minnesota needs to focus on their youth, and an athletic, agile wing like Jones who can score on his own is already far better than someone called Slow Mo.