Ideal Jazz Pick at No. 16 Could be the 'Best Shooter in the Class'

Primed with three first-round picks in the 2023 NBA draft, the Utah Jazz will be looking to reshape a roster that has multiple needs. If Utah has intentions of getting back into the playoff conversation, an area of focus will be its perimeter shooting.

In 2022-23, the top-9 teams in three-point percentage all made the playoffs. It’s an issue that will need to be addressed Thursday night or in free agency, with the Jazz finishing the 2022-23 season No. 19 in that department.

Jazz executive Danny Ainge didn’t duck the problem in his end-of-season press conference.

“There are a lot of different ways you can win in this league,” Ainge said. “I would say that shooting we could use. We weren’t a very good shooting team at the end of the year.”

This year's lottery is littered with prospects that check the boxes in size and athleticism but are entering their NBA career as below-average long-distance shooters. The Thompson twins, Anthony Black, and Bilal Coulibaly head a list of prospects that will need to work on that aspect of their game.

If Ainge rolls the dice with one of these prospects with Utah’s No. 9 pick, then obtaining a floor spacer with the second first-round selection becomes even more likely. The good news for Jazz fans is the projected best shooter in this year's draft class could be there for the taking at No. 16.

UConn's Jordan Hawkins has a skill set that not only translates to today's NBA, but he should be able to contribute in year one because of his ability to space the floor. Ex-NBA standout Don MacLean gave the young prospect high marks when he joined ESPN 700's The Bill Riley Show.

“You can argue that he’s the best shooter in the class but I tell you what he is — he’s the best catch-and-shoot guy off the move by far in the draft,” MacLean said. “Like, his stuff on pin downs, coming off of flare screens, any kind of hand-off. Any of that kind of action where you just put it in his hands and he can get his feet down and let it fly—he’s the best in the draft at that. He’s like, really good, like advanced.”

Hawkins helped lead UConn to a National Championship by averaging 16.2 ppg on 38.8% from long distance. His three-point efficiency wasn’t limited to just open catch-and-shoot opportunities but also to shooting under pressure off the bounce.

With Jordan Clarkson’s future with the Jazz still up in the air, Hawkins could get an opportunity to be cemented in the rotation right out of the gates in Salt Lake City. Finding players that can space the floor will be needed with the way opponents were keying in on Lauri Markkanen late last year.

Utah’s best player took a pounding as the year progressed, leading to a total of nine games missed after the All-Star break. Having players that are elite floor-spreaders can help alleviate the grind Markkanen will be dealt with as a No. 1 option.

But will Hawkins be available at No. 16? DraftKings has him being selected right where the Jazz are picking, with an over/under proposition set at 15.5. It’s a coin flip whether he’ll be there, but if need be, Ainge has the means to trade up if Hawkins is high on Utah’s draft board.

Jazz fans will get closure on the matter on Thursday night, with the draft starting at 6:00 pm MDT.

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