Feb 6, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; From left to right, Utah Jazz general manager Justin Zanik, CEO Danny Ainge, owner Ryan Smith and head coach Will Hardy sit court side before the game between the Utah Jazz and the Oklahoma City Thunder at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Utah Jazz Exec Drops Big Hint on NBA Draft Trade Plans

Originally posted on Utah Jazz on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated Jun 4, 2025 4:30 PM ET

The Utah Jazz brought in a major addition to their front office to start this offseason with their acquisition of Austin Ainge as their newest president of basketball operations, now leading the charge for the team's decision-making across the roster.

And for Ainge, the work starts pretty immediately, with the draft sitting right around the corner at less than a month away, and some big-time decisions to be made at how this roster could be constructed during a critical offseason.

So what's Ainge's initial plan for the Jazz's four picks in June's draft? Will he be sticking and picking at all four spots, or will he be looking to make a bold move up or down the board?

In the mind of Ainge, the "most likely scenario" will be for the Jazz to "draft the picks," as revealed in an interview with David James and Patrick Kinahan of KSL Sports,

"I'm going to listen to everything," Ainge said. "I just got into this job, so it's all kind of moving fast, but I believe, by far, the most likely scenario is we draft the picks. But you never know what offers come in. Gotta stay ready."

It doesn't totally count out the Jazz's idea of pivoting around the board if an opportunity comes onto the table, with even some chatter transpiring from The Athletic's Tony Jones of Utah being in trade discussions with at least one lottery team, but perhaps selecting at all four of their picks scheduled on the board is the route Ainge wants to take.

The Jazz will have two first-rounders and two seconds at picks 5, 21, 43, and 53, offering a ton of opportunity to bring in a vast collection of young talent to add to this already intriguing core of youth brought in from the past three summers.

The 2025 NBA Draft will get going on Wednesday, June 25th in Brooklyn, NY.