The Utah Jazz had an opportunity to add some talent to their roster on draft night. Here’s how their three selections in the 2017 NBA Draft graded out.
After several years spent adding young talent and major pieces, the Utah Jazz came into the 2017 NBA Draft in an unfamiliar position, having two late first-round picks at No. 24 and No. 30 in addition to their two second round selections.
However, having multiple picks was not unfamiliar territory for Utah, as they’ve had at least three picks every year since 2013. With a lot of established players already on the roster, it became clear early on that the Jazz would likely need to consolidate assets, as we’ll get into later.
The franchise is facing an unknown offseason in which many key pieces, most importantly Gordon Hayward, will be up for grabs in free agency. This can make it hard to plan for a draft from the front office’s perspective, as they can’t focus exclusively on developmental pieces or win-now mature players.
There is, of course, value to be had in later picks, as Jazz fans should be aware of considering they have unearthed gems such as Rudy Gobert with picks in the 20s.
Now, let’s examine how the Jazz did with each of their three picks, including ability, fit and what that particular selection means for the franchise moving forward.