Thoughts on Utah Jazz draft

The draft results are in, and the Utah Jazz were active to improve their team. Jazz fans know that Dennis Lindsey is not one to sit back and go through the motions, he is aggressive and active. The 2017 draft was no different, as the Jazz made two trades in the draft. Overall, I am very pleased with the decisions that were made. I will go over each draft pick in this years draft.

Jazz trade Trey Lyles and the 24th pick in the draft to the Nuggets for the 13th pick in the draft and select Donovan Mitchell.

I love this trade. It is always difficult to part with assets, such as a young player and a draft pick. I don't think this trade is an indictment on Trey Lyles, but shows how much the Jazz believe in Donovan Mitchell. Dennis Lindsey revealed that Denver has had some interest in Trey Lyles for some time, so it makes sense that they went after him in the draft. He is still a very good young prospect, and could do very well in Denver. It is not hard to like Donovan Mitchell, as a player and a person. If Jazz fans are hesitant, I recommend you watch his interview after his workout for the Jazz. He is 6'3" with a 6'10" wingspan, 210 pounds, and a great athlete. He blew people away in the combine with his leaping ability and speed. He is an absolute bull dog on defense, and has improved his offense. What I love about him is that he competes. He is a guy who fits into what the Jazz do, and is motivated to improve. I see him playing the 2, and defending 1-3. I anticipate that he will get minutes as he competes defensively and hits open shots. With Rudy Gobert patrolling the paint, Mitchell helps the Jazz defense get even better. I am interested to see how Quin Snyder uses him, and anticipate his hard work will force Coach Snyder to play him a decent amount of minutes next year.

Jazz trade the 30th and 42nd pick in the draft to the Lakers for the 28th pick in the draft and select Tony Bradley

I am a big fan of this move as well. The Jazz had 4 picks in the draft, and did not want to use all of them. They identified Tony Bradley as a young prospect who has a bright future. Like Mitchell, his measurements are great. He is 6'10" with a 7'5" wingspan. He did not play many minutes while at UNC, but was very productive when he was on the court. He is not a super athlete, but can move, has offensive promise, and can rebound the ball. I anticipate that he will not play much, if at all for the Jazz this season. I think he will be assigned to the Salt Lake City Stars, like Bolomboy was last year. The Jazz will use the G-League to develop him, increase his stamina, and work on his fundamentals. With Rudy Gobert on the team, Bradley projects to be his future backup. The ESPN stats rankings loved Tony Bradley, ranking him as the number 10 prospect in the draft. I know stats don't mean everything, but at pick 28, it's worth taking that risk on a player. Another win for Dennis Lindsey, and we will see how he turns out.

Jazz draft Nigel Williams-Goss with the 55th pick in the draft

It wouldn't feel like a Jazz draft without Dennis Lindsey at least picking, or acquiring a point guard. I honestly have know idea what the future is for Nigel. When John Stockton speaks highly of you, then you are doing something right. Dennis Lindsey revealed after the draft that John Stockton had lots of good things to say about Nigel's game. We know that he is a winner and a leader. Leading Gonzaga to the national championship game, and only two losses the whole year. I see Nigel as a another candidate for the Stars. It will give him the opportunity to grow and improve his game. With the point guard situation still unclear in Utah, he could possibly be a future backup point guard for the Jazz.

I love the direction that this team is taking. The Jazz are continuing to build a team that matches their identity. All three guys are types of players the Jazz want. They want players who will compete on both ends of the floor, and have good measurements. A common saying around Utah is, In Dennis we trust. I think that still rings true after this draft. I am excited to see what he does in the upcoming weeks.