Jazz Land Defensive-Minded UConn Prospect in Latest NBA Mock

Is Stephon Castle the answer to the Utah Jazz defensive woes?

The NBA mock draft season is alive and kicking. The Utah Jazz have multiple needs heading into the offseason, and the pundits have been all over the map regarding which direction Utah will go. 

The latest prediction at ESPN is that Utah will draft shooting guard Stephon Castle out of the University of Connecticut. ESPN draft expert Jeremy Woo had this to say about the defensive-minded prospect

“The Jazz have been exceedingly patient with their rebuild and could see long-term benefits in a potential backcourt partnership between Keyonte George and Castle, the latter of whom has established himself as one of the top defensive prospects in this class. Castle's size, matchup versatility and secondary playmaking ability as a ball handler could fit quite nicely with George's scoring ability. Teams will want to see Castle shoot the ball with confidence in workouts, but if he can assuage some of those concerns, he figures to warrant an upside swing in the lottery and benefit from UConn's March dominance.” -- Jeremy Woo

Castle will be just what the doctor ordered if Utah remains in the eight slot. The current starting backcourt of Keynonte George and Collin Sexton doesn’t put up enough resistance on the defensive end of the court, and having a player like Castle on the roster would fill a glaring need.

However, what Castle gives on defense could be offset by some weaknesses he offers on offense. Castle only shot 26.7% from long distance at UConn, and that won’t cut it in today’s NBA, where spacing the floor is critical to the flow of the offense.

Also, if the Jazz pick eighth, there is no guarantee he’ll be available when it’s Utah’s turn to select. There are draft boards with Castle in the top five, while other experts see him going after ten. Either way, if Castle can improve his shooting, then rotational minutes would be available for the taking. 

With Jordan Clarkson unlikely to be back and Kris Dunn an unrestricted free agent, the only rostered guards cemented in the rotation are Sexton, George, and Bryce Sensabaugh. All three are offensive-minded first players, and Castle would bring some balance to the current roster. It’s much needed, considering Utah ranked last in the league in defensive rating in 2023-24.

There’s also the possibility that Utah could slide into a top-four pick. The Jazz have a 26.2% chance of landing between 1-4, and if that’s the case, then drafting Castle that high is very unlikely. Jazz fans will know exactly where they’ll be picking after the NBA draft lottery that takes place on May 12.

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