The Jazz currently possess the ninth pick in this year’s top-heavy NBA draft. Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune considers how the Jazz could theoretically trade their way into a higher pick.
Larsen notes that Trail Blazers, Rockets, and potentially even the Pistons could be looking to move on from their own lottery selections, Nos. 3-5.
At this past week’s draft combine in Chicago, the Jazz spoke to Alabama forward Brandon Miller, Villanova wing Cam Whitmore, UCF power forward/center Taylor Hendricks, and Houston combo forward Jarace Walker, all of whom are projected to be off the board before Utah can draft.
“I’m sure we’re going to have a lot of interesting conversations here over the next few weeks,” GM Justin Zanik told Larsen. “As we get our own internal work done, then we’ll really start engaging with teams as they get to build their board and know a little bit more as well.”
There’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- Sources around the NBA inform Sarah Todd of The Deseret News that they would expect the Jazz to not retain all three of its current first-round draft picks.
- Organizational patience has been a huge factor in the Nuggets’ playoff success story this season, opines Sam Amick of The Athletic. “I remember [former team president Tim Connelly] calling me up, [and saying], ‘Hey, we can trade Jamal [Murray] for this guy,’” head coach Michael Malone recalled in a conversation with Amick. “[This was] probably three or four years ago — [and it was[ a marquee player. I said ‘No.’ Like, ‘What? Let’s not rush this. We have a patient ownership group. Let’s f—ing take our time and build this the right way. A bigger name is not always better.’” Murray discussed how the close-knit chemistry between most of the team’s main players has positively impacted their on-court performance. “You’re a tighter group when you’ve been together for so long,” Murray said. “You know each other’s tendencies. You have a better feeling for each other. I just think that we’ve grown as a team, and as a core. We’ve grown, (as opposed to) the team that moves around a lot.”
- The expert passing and basketball IQ of the Nuggets’ core players has helped the team put their own unique stamp on a postseason run that sees them just one game away from their first-ever NBA Finals appearance, writes Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports. “I love it, just because you can see everybody’s moving,” All-NBA center Nikola Jokic said of the team’s ball distribution. “I think that’s hard to guard.”
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