The 2025-2026 season felt both predictable and fresh for the Utah Jazz. Bet Decider calculated the Jazz to finish with 22 wins on the season, and the prediction rang true. Finishing with a 22-60 record, Utah met fans’ and pundits’ expectations of another losing year. However, the team from Salt Lake City had a few surprises up their sleeve.
At the trade deadline, the Jazz acquired two-time All-Star and 2022-23 Defensive Player of the Year, Jaren Jackson Jr. With the forward at the helm, the Jazz looked like a completely different team, winning two games emphatically when the forward played. On a separate note, Keyonte George, emerging as an All-Star-caliber player, surprised the front office and fans alike.
Averaging 6.8 more points than last year and ranking second in assists on the entire team, George turned into a must-watch TV for NBA fans. Though George, Jackson Jr., and others became the talk of the town, one thing stands above them.
The Jazz earning the second pick in the NBA Draft is the crowning jewel of the team’s season. The Jazz have not picked as high as No. 2 since 1980.
With just the second pick in this year’s draft and no other assets, the Jazz only get one chance to acquire blue-chip talent.
Jazz Draft Pick:
- Round 1 — No. 2
Jazz Draft Needs:
With the second pick in the draft, Utah looks to draft its next core superstar. While the front office considers overall fit, they need talent rather than to fill a position.
The Jazz need on-ball playmakers to help distribute and score the ball. With only two true playmakers in Isaiah Collier and George, the Jazz need someone else to create offense, especially coming off the bench. Beyond scoring, Utah needs to prioritize getting stops on the defensive end. The team ranked 29th in defensive rating in the entire league. The front office needs to correct this stat by next season.
Jazz Draft Targets:
AJ Dybantsa – F – Brigham Young University
At this point, the name Dybantsa and Utah are synonymous. Playing his freshman year at BYU, the forward took the college basketball world by storm. After finishing first in scoring throughout the nation, Dybantsa proved he can immediately give the Jazz an offensive punch.
While not known for his defensive prowess, Dybantsa ranked third on the BYU roster when it came to steals. If the Jazz draft the BYU star, he would become a pivotal offensive piece right off the bat.
Darryn Peterson – G – Kansas
Peterson has a lot of work to do before June 23. After being crowned the shoo-in for the No. 1 pick, Peterson struggled with a litany of injuries that lowered his stock.
If the medicals come back clean, the Jazz should heavily consider picking Peterson. Shooting 76% on a spot-up shooting drill at the combine and finishing this year as the third-best defender on Kansas’s basketball team, Peterson fits Utah’s criteria for a two-way starter with superstar potential.
Cameron Boozer — F – Duke
Boozer is the wild card of the top three prospects. Many question Boozer’s ceiling, but at 6-foot-9-inches, the ACC Player of the Year contributes a healthy diet of skills to the game.
Besides being a post-up scorer, Boozer initiated much of Duke’s offense as a pseudo point guard later in the season. With 143 assists on the year, Boozer evolved into Duke’s best offensive distributor.
The forward also ranked second in defensive rating on the entire Blue Devil team, which was one of the best in the country. Though his NBA ceiling is quote-unquote lower than the other two prospects, the Jazz could find a great two-way player in Boozer if they draft him.
Leave a comment