Jazz Left in the Dark as Wizards Keep No. 1 Pick Plans Secret

The Utah Jazz still don't know what to expect once they're on the clock with their No. 2 pick.

Jan 30, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; (from left to right) Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith and CEO of basketball operations Danny Ainge and president of basketball operations Austin Ainge and general manager Justin Zanik speak before a game against the Brooklyn Nets at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

In the weeks ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz's plans for who they'll end up selecting at pick two will largely depend on what the Washington Wizards do in front of them.

As to what the Wizards might do, though, is largely up in the air; a vast difference from many draft classes before this one where the top pick is clearly defined, whether it be last year's selection of Cooper Flagg, or a prospect like Victor Wembanyama claiming the top spot like he did in 2023.

Even for those in the Jazz front office, the Wizards' plans, to this point, have been widely unknown.

Jazz Left Guessing Who Wizards Will Take at No. 1

During an interview on Jake and Ben of KSL Sports, Jazz president Austin Ainge was asked whether or not he had a "good feel" for how the Wizards might approach their selection in front of the Jazz at number one.

And while many are pretty certain of the two to three names that the Wizards will likely have their pick come down to, Ainge made it clear that the Jazz don't have Washington's selection pinned in like drafts have been in years past.

"No. They wouldn't say," Ainge said of the Wizards' pick. "We wouldn't tell them, and we wouldn't tell the team behind us. You never really know. There have been a couple of times in the years where we kind of knew what a team was going to do. But most of the time you don't, and you just prepare."

"It's a lot easier to guess who could be available at two than it is at 10. So, we don't have to prepare that much, or worry that much about what everybody else is doing when it's just two names."

Why Jazz Don't Have to Worry About the Wizards' Plans

Compared to where the Jazz have been selecting in past years, whether it be at pick five like they were in last summer's draft to add Ace Bailey, or a pick further down at 10 or nine like they were at in 2023 or 2022, respectively, predicting the board ahead of them does become a whole lot easier.

The Jazz have just one team to keep an eye on that sits in front of them. Many have linked the Wizards to AJ Dybantsa as their most likely selection, but Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer have both been touted as similarly graded prospects.

Jan 24, 2026; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Darryn Peterson (22) looks to pass against BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) during the first half at Mizzou Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

It's hard to really count any option out between now and draft time, or until some concrete reports surface that make it clear the Wizards have decided on their aspired selection. But regardless of what the Wizards end up doing and who they end up picking, the Jazz are in a terrific spot.

Utah will have the opportunity to scoop up one of the top talents that Washington inevitably passes on in a class with three highly rated, potential No. 1 prospects. No matter if it's Dybantsa, Peterson, or Boozer, a potential future All-Star will be landing in Utah's laps, irrespective of how the Wizards approach things.

So for Ainge, and any other decision-maker in the Jazz's front office, they'll just have to do their own due diligence to sort out their draft board, decide how the top of the class should be graded, and patiently await to see who the Wizards pass on to see who their next franchise cornerstone will be. 

Not a bad spot to be in, all things considered.

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