New Orleans Pelicans 2015 NBA Draft Profiles: Jonathan Holmes

By Matt Cianfrone | Jun 12, 2015

It is that time of year again. With the NBA Draft just a few weeks away it is time to start looking at players that the New Orleans Pelicans can potentially draft. While most of the players that we profile will be second round players since the Pelicans currently only have a second round pick, there will also be a few first round talents mixed in with the bunch as well. Considering the Pelicans are pretty set in the backcourt and at power forward the profiles will focus on wing players that fit into a small forward role and backup big men, places the Pelicans can stand to get a bit better.

With most second round NBA prospects there is one specific thing that gets a player drafted. Whether it been shooting ability or defensive potential there has to be something that draws in an NBA team. Every once in a while though a player comes around that is so well-rounded he draws attention despite not doing anything much above-average. One of those types of players in this season’s draft is Texas forward Jonathan Holmes, a tweener that does a lot of things well and not a lot of things great.

The Basics:

Age: 22

Height (with shoes): 6’9.25”

Weight: 242

Wingspan: 6’11.5”

Standing Reach: 8’11.5”

Max Vertical: 31

2014-2015 stats: 10.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.0 block in 26.1 minutes per game.

Draft Projections: Second round to undrafted

Strengths:

Holmes biggest strength is that he does a lot of different things at a fairly good level. It all starts with his size as at 6’9” Holmes is able to play power forward at the NBA level and be a weapon there.

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Holmes isn’t a great shooter but he is good enough and with range all the way out to the NBA three-point line to be a real threat as an NBA stretch-four. Holmes is then able to leverage that shooting into dribble drives when he attacks defenders who close out too hard before using his body to finish inside. Holmes also has smooth footwork all over the floor, from in the paint to coming off screens meaning he should be able to at least make mismatches pay.

Holmes transfers that versatility to the other end of the floor as well which is what makes him so interesting for a team like the Pelicans. Holmes played mostly small forward this season for Texas and showed the ability to at least adequately defend the perimeter, to the point that it should translate to the NBA level. Holmes also should be able to defend power forwards due to his size and willingness to bang in the paint, meaning he can play in unique lineups.

Finally, Holmes seems to have completely accepted his role and it shows in his motor. Holmes averaged 2.2 offensive rebounds per game this season for Texas and was always running hard down the floor defensively for the Longhorns.

Weaknesses:

The biggest weaknesses with Holmes is his lack of consistent shooting. Considering that he isn’t an overly athletic player or one that is going to get his own shot often, Holmes really needs to be able to consistently knock down jumpers at the NBA level. Holmes mechanics aren’t great as Holmes has a low release point that makes getting his jumper off against pressure tough, a big problem in the NBA.

It doesn’t help that Holmes is a fairly ground bound player. He ranked 17th out of 18th at the NBA Combine in the no-step vertical and 16th out of 17th in the max vertical of the forwards tested per Draft Express which is not great considering that he profiles as a combo forward. The mobility he shows in defending wing players helps but Holmes is going to find it hard to finish inside against NBA length and athleticism.

Finally, Holmes isn’t a good passer. While that won’t be a huge problem in the NBA considering Holmes will be asked to catch-and-shoot or catch and finish, it begs the question if he can make the right play consistently. His passing numbers are improving but 92 assists in an entire college career is not good enough for a wing player.

Projected Role: Holmes could be an extremely valuable bench player for a good NBA team thanks to his versatility. In New Orleans he could be a perfect player to play a Dante Cunningham type role of the high energy player who could play both small and power forward, except with potentially better shooting. If Holmes is around when the Pelicans pick comes up they should jump on him fast.

Information from this report, including measurements, came from DraftExpress.

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