Utah Jazz: Draft Needs and Prospect Watchlist

Coming into the season, most expected the Jazz to be in the Victor Wembenyana sweepstakes. After trading away all-stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert as well as Bojan Bogdanovic in the off-season, their roster was left somewhat bleak, or at least this was a common perception.

Alternatively, Danny Ainge, Coach Will Hardy, and Lauri Markkanen had different plans. Markkenan, formerly regarded as a role player, entered the season in All-NBA form and never looked back. The Finnish big man has used his unique blend of shot-making, size, wits, and athleticism to average north of 25 points and lock up the league’s Most Improved Player award.

Rookie Walker Kessler has been a revelation as well. The 22nd pick from last year’s draft has been the perfect Gobert replacement. Already an elite defender, his rim protection ability has vaulted him to status as a top-five first-year player.

Additionally, quality players such as Kelly Olynyk, Ochai Agbaji, Kris Dunn, Colin Sexton, Talen Horton-Tucker, and Jordan Clarkson have massively contributed to Utah’s competitiveness in the wild Western Conference. Hardy has done a masterful job with this squad, but ultimately they’re falling out of the playoff picture due to more talented rosters taking their place.

Still, it’s clear that Ainge is building something intriguing with the Jazz, and their “rebuild” is far ahead of schedule. They’ll look to take the next step in this process through the draft this June.

Projected First-Round Pick (Per Tankathon): 9

Team Needs: Ball Handling, Perimeter Defense, Rim Pressure

Here are some reasonable prospects Utah fans should keep their eye on as potential targets come June, and how they’d fit in:

Anthony Black, Arkansas

Black almost makes too much sense for Utah. The 6-foot-7 point guard would bring much-needed ball handling and playmaking to the young core. His lack of shooting would be less of an issue in Salt Lake City with the abundance of snipers surrounding him at every position. Moreover, he’d function as a wing-sized defender at the point-of-attack for the Jazz, and his disruptive ability would be an asset for a sound defense.

Keyonte George, Baylor

Outside of Scoot Henderson, George probably packs the biggest offensive punch of any guard prospect, filling many of Utah’s biggest needs. He’s a lethal off-the-dribble scorer, particularly with his speed and pull-up jumper. The 6-foot-3 guard is also an adept facilitator, reasoning his ceiling even more. His perimeter creation is something the Jazz could really use moving forward.

Ausar Thompson, City Reapers (Overtime Elite)

It would be a blessing if Thompson fell to pick nine in June. The 6-foot-7 hyper-athlete is a terrorizing wing defender, relentless rim-pressurer, and crafty passer. He’d bring an entirely new dimension to Utah’s attack with how his potent slashing compliments the others’ shooting ability.

Other potential targets:

Nick Smith Jr., Arkansas

Jalen Hood-Schfino, Indiana

Leonard Miller, G League Ignite

Judah Mintz, Syracuse

Colby Jones, Xavier

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