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Utah Jazz: Grading The Offseason

By Gerald Bourguet

Mar 3, 2015; Memphis, TN, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) celebrates with guard Gordon Hayward (20) after a score against the Memphis Grizzlies in the second half at FedExForum. Utah defeated Memphis 93-82. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 3, 2015; Memphis, TN, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) celebrates with guard Gordon Hayward (20) after a score against the Memphis Grizzlies in the second half at FedExForum. Utah defeated Memphis 93-82. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports /
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Utah Jazz
Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Trey Lyles (Kentucky) greets NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number twelve overall pick to the Utah Jazz in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

The Draft

Full disclosure: I’m not a fan of the Trey Lyles pick. I certainly won’t go as far as some have by declaring Lyles a bust, but I do think the Jazz could’ve done better at No. 12.

With Utah in the bottom half of the league in both made and attempted three-pointers last season, sharpshooter Devin Booker (who went 13th overall) represented an intriguing option, and that was before Utah’s backcourt was dealt a blow with the Exum ACL tear. But instead of Booker or another stretch-big like Bobby Portis, the Jazz went with Lyles.

This wasn’t a sexy pick by any means, and Lyles doesn’t have star potential. But he also didn’t get a chance to show all he could do on that loaded Kentucky team, averaging 8.7 points and 5.2 rebounds in 23 minutes per game while shooting 48.8 percent from the floor.

Lyles is a smart player with a 7’2″ wingspan and could be a serviceable backup for Derrick Favors in time, especially for a team that needed a mobile 4 who could spread the floor more so than another wing.

However, he also has some bust potential, especially for those expecting him to become a legitimate stretch-4. Lyles can knock down shots in the midrange, but he shot 13.8 percent from downtown in college and his abysmal Summer League shooting displays (32.3 percent from the field, 13.6 percent from three-point range) did little to ease those concerns.

A couple of bad shooting nights in Summer League obviously isn’t enough to push Lyles into bust territory, but I’m just not as high on this pick as most.

In the second round, the Jazz selected Olivier Hanlan at No. 42 and Daniel Diez at No. 54. Diez was a draft-and-stash pick whose rights were traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, but Utah added a combo guard with good size to play the 1 and some shooting ability to play the 2 in Hanlan.

After a disappointing Summer League, however, Hanlan is uncertain about his immediate future with the Jazz. In the wake of Exum’s injury, perhaps he has a fighting chance of being signed, but it still feels unlikely. Utah’s draft wasn’t perfect, but it certainly wasn’t bad either.

Grade: B-

Next: Inking Ingles

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