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Utah Jazz: 5 options for pick No. 24 in 2017 NBA Draft

By Adam Coffman

Feb 25, 2017; Tucson, AZ, USA; UCLA Bruins forward TJ Leaf (22) loses the ball as Arizona Wildcats forward Lauri Markkanen (10) and guard Allonzo Trier (35) defend during the first half at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 25, 2017; Tucson, AZ, USA; UCLA Bruins forward TJ Leaf (22) loses the ball as Arizona Wildcats forward Lauri Markkanen (10) and guard Allonzo Trier (35) defend during the first half at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 4, 2017; Stillwater, OK, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Jawun Evans (1) drives to the basket as Kansas Jayhawks forward Landen Lucas (33) defends during the second half at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Kansas won 90-85. Mandatory Credit: Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 4, 2017; Stillwater, OK, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Jawun Evans (1) drives to the basket as Kansas Jayhawks forward Landen Lucas (33) defends during the second half at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Kansas won 90-85. Mandatory Credit: Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Jawun Evans

If the Jazz are to avoid big men with their selection, their best option on the board would likely be Oklahoma State sophomore point guard Jawun Evans.

With George Hill’s free agency situation up in the air, Evans could be joining a very deep point guard position, but he does bring different things to the table than any member of the Jazz’s current backcourt.

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Unlike Hill, Raul Neto or Dante Exum, Evans has a game predicated on his quickness and athleticism, using his extra gear of speed to get into the paint and create for teammates.

However, Evans is much smaller than most point guards, measuring just 5’11” at the draft combine. This is usually a limiting factor on defense, as he’ll be unable to switch off of his man or contest jumpers effectively.

Oklahoma State had one of the most potent offenses in the NCAA last season in part because of their vicious pick-and-roll attack spearheaded by Evans, who as his DraftExpress profile outlines, is prolific in executing this key maneuver:

"“He showed that he is comfortable attacking the ball screen in a variety of ways, whether by rejecting the screen to get into the lane or forcing a switch to attack a big man off the dribble. He gets into space with a creative change of pace and impressive downhill quickness to bend the defense, and he should be able to seamlessly make the transition to a NBA style offense.”"

As a team, the Jazz went to the pick-and-roll on 20.5 percent of their possessions, which ranked fifth in the league in terms of frequency. Evans’ talents here could make him a good fit, as would his ability to space the floor off-ball.

Evans might not be the best player on the board at 24, but he could be a dynamic option if the Jazz want to add a bench creator to their roster.

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