Utah Jazz Draft Profile

As part of the team draft profiles, Zack Padmore (@ZP12Hoops) joins me to build a Utah Jazz draft profile.

Pick Held: 23

Timeline:

• Rudy Gobert is a free agent in 2021, and with the handling of the Coronavirus situation, his future may be rocky
• Donovan Mitchell is up for a contract extension next offseason
• Mike Conley is entering his last year of his contract, should he pick up his player option
• Team still needs to fill out the bottom half of the rotation

Team Needs: On-ball defenders, shooting point guard

Current players under contract for next season: 

Guards: Nigel Williams-Goss, Miye Oni, Donovan Mitchell

Wings: Bojan Bogdanovic, Joe Ingles, Royce O’Neale, Georges Niang

Bigs: Rudy Gobert, Tony Bradley, Ed Davis

Options: Mike Conley (player)

Upcoming FA: Justin Wright-Foreman (RFA), Juwan Morgan (RFA), Rayjon Tucker (RFA)

Past 5 drafts:

2015: Trey Lyles, Oliver Hanlan

2016: Joel Bolomboy, Marcus Paige, Tyrone Wallace

2017: Donovan Mitchell, Tony Bradley, Nigel Williams-Goss

2018: Grayson Allen

2019: Jarrell Brantley, Miye Oni, Justin Wright-Foreman

#23 Big Board:

@ZP12Hoops:

1. Josh Green – Green is the ideal guy to put next to Donovan Mitchell in the backcourt. He’s a day one contributor and brings the two things Utah craves — three-point shooting and defense. 
2. Desmond Bane – Bane, like Green, fits perfectly in Utah’s plans. An elite shooter and good team-defender makes him a safe selection.
3. Aleksej Pokusevski – If you want to swing for the fences, Pokusevski is the guy. He’s a project, but his upside is as high as anyone in the draft. 
4. Paul Reed – The Jazz need an elite athlete. Reed is just that and has scary two-way potential. 
5. Xavier Tillman – Tillman won’t be a sexy pick, but he’s a really good defender and passer. Can be an immediate rotation piece. 
6. Theo Maledon – Perhaps the prospect linked to Utah the most, Maledon is an intriguing long-term fit next to Mitchell thanks to his length and shooting.
7. Zeke Nnaji – Bigs that can switch and guard the perimeter are valuable, and that’s what Nnaji can bring. I also strongly believe him becoming a reliable shooter. 
8. Tyler Bey – Bey is arguably a top-three defender in this draft. His offense needs work, but he’ll make an immediate impact on the other end.
9. Immanuel Quickley – Put Quickley in a lineup with Mitchell and Gobert and he’ll feast as a three-point specialist. Long wingspan will help him defensively.
10. Elijah Hughes – Hughes has intriguing two-way potential. He’s a scoring threat from anywhere and projects to be a solid defender. 
11. Robert Woodard II – Woodard is a big-time athlete with impressive physical attributes. The question for me is whether or not his shooting is real. 
12. Cassius Stanley – Showed signs of being a “3&D” guy at Duke, and that’s exactly what Utah would need him to be. Intriguing upside.
13. Leandro Bolmaro – One of the few draft-and-stash options. Bolmaro can handle and dish with the best of them, but his shooting is a major concern. 
14. Malachi Flynn – Drafting a point guard at 23 would be surprising, but Flynn fits as a shooter and defender coming off the bench.
15. Devon Dotson – Utah’s front office knows Dotson well after working him out last year. He’s a blur with the ball but will need to prove himself as a legit creator from outside.

@MavsDraft:

1. Josh Green
2. Desmond Bane
3. Aleksej Pokusevski
4. Grant Riller
5. Jaden McDaniels
6. Elijah Hughes
7. Theo Maledon
8. Malachi Flynn
9. Tyler Bey
10. Robert Woodard
11. Zeke Nnaji
12. Isaiah Stewart
13. Tyrell Terry
14. Paul Reed
15. Daniel Oturu

Other options:

The Jazz are in an interesting spot when it comes to trades. They probably don’t have the assets to move up in the draft, but if they did, Saddiq Bey is the guy to target. It’s hard to imagine Utah not using this selection at No. 23, though. Trading a late first rounder for a solid veteran won’t move the needle much.