Grade the Utah Jazz draft.

[Ensign Nate]

I think B+ is about right. These guys all seem like high floor guys with starter potential, but they aren't future all-stars. None of us really know how the Jazz felt about the guys drafted 5-8 or 10-15, but I would like to have seen a more aggressive approach in attempting to move up. Of course we don't what it would have taken, just that they didn't get it done.

I was also hoping that the Jazz picks would give us some clues about the Jazz future timeline, and I don't feel like that's really the case here. They didn't draft projects, but didn't go all in either.

 

[Bawse Dawg]

I can’t find it now but I read an article last night stating that the Front Office was thrilled with the way the draft unfolded.

And moreover had Indiana been amenable to a deal at seven, wouldn’t have seen us achieve our target of Anthony Black anyway. That move could have been disastrous even if we made the deal with Orlando and did get Black imo considering his less than stellar shooting. I don’t think anybody in the organization would be disappointed that we used all three picks got our main target at #9 and had our other two picks projected to go much much higher than they did falling to us at 16 and 28.

I'm sure they were prepared for Hendricks and fine with it. But we know they would have preferred literally every single player taken above him.

They are probably quite pleased with where they got George and Brice. Hoping for the best with all of them.

 

[Coach Ellis]

I’d say B. Hendricks made complete sense and George was evidently top 12 on a lot of people’s boards. Tough to grade much lower than that.

I’m curious if we tried to move up as rumored and if so, what we offered? Did we not offer much because the asking price was too high or because we are trying to hold onto assets to really make a run at a legit asset when the time is right this year or next? I’m very curious if the FO believes it has a legit chance to snag someone like Luka if they flame out this year which honestly, I think they could. If Kyrie stays, oof. If he goes, double oof. And their first round pick was Lively and typically bigs take longer to develop and I’m not sure the Mavs have that time. Idk.

In all honesty, if you look at Danny Ainge’s drafting history. . . he doesn’t really move up the board in the draft all that often. He’s MUCH more likely to trade picks for veteran players. Prepare yourselves. . . because it’s coming.

 

[Release the Kraken]

I'm sure they were prepared for Hendricks and fine with it. But we know they would have preferred literally every single player taken above him.

They are probably quite pleased with where they got George and Brice. Hoping for the best with all of them.

I’ll take Hendricks over Black any day of the week and twice on Sunday. Have you seen the reaction of Orlando fans to him and Howard? Hendricks is a seamless plugin fit unlike a lot of teams last night. Just sayin.

 

[Bawse Dawg]

I’ll take Hendricks over Black any day of the week and twice on Sunday. Have you seen the reaction of Orlando fans to him and Howard? Hendricks is a seamless plugin fit unlike a lot of teams last night. Just sayin.

You would. And plenty of others would too. But the Jazz front office is not among that group.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

Black or Walker was the player I hoped Ainge would try to snatch by trading up. And I'm pretty sure he tried it, but what can you do when the other team says “no we want to keep our pick” or is asking way too much. As for the kids we selected, I think the Jazz did all right. We don’t know at this point how they’ll develop. It’s wait at see. Hendricks was 8th on my board, so I do have high hopes for him. And let’s not forget that Danny still has all the bargaining chips in his pocket. Give him 2-3 years for building a contender. Or who knows, maybe the stars will align sooner.

If the Jazz want to progress beyond being a 45 - 50-win team that earns the 5th seed and loses in the 1st or 2nd round, they're going to need that star, dynamic wing who can get in the middle of the floor and control the game. Jazz were trying to get their hands on Black or Walker, and when that didn't work, they reportedly wanted Bilal Coulibaly. Hendricks at 9 is fine, but in reality the Jazz missed out because they won a few meaningless regular-season games after the trade deadline. Jazz have assets, but they couldn't make a market for them.

Cam Whitmore falling from the sky also diluted the talent in the top 9.

 

[Thee Idiotic Minivan K]

Hendricks- F this isn’t me hating Hendricks, but we could’ve had Cam without paying anything to move up. He at least had a punchers chance at being an allstar. Hendricks isn’t a wing. Hell, Lauri isn’t really a wing. We will get next to no creation at the 3&4 spots. No perimeter defense from either spot so we will rely on Sexton for that, wonderful.

George- F We need a pg so let’s draft George, the second coming of JC, BRILLIANT!!!!!! A 6-4 pf would be great, but a 6-4 sg who can’t defend… put a gun to my head!!! He’s not a ****ing pg!!!!

Sensabaugh- C This is the only pick I can get behind. And if not for passing on Miller and GG and Ciddy I’d give this an A.

All in all I give us an F. We didn’t draft dudes that fit what we are building like at all!!! We passed on high upside players for dudes who I question IQ wise. We need a pg so we draft a JC clone. WTF?

 

[Shad]

There could still be trades happening this coming July 1st. Walker got traded last year the same way!

 

[Eddie Zero]

lower case b ?
If Hendricks is all nba defender that can offer a reliable corner J and Keyonte breaks out as a 50/40/90 guy by season 3. I change it to A-
Brice might be a steal, but he has to get the conditioning fixed.
I don't adjust the outcome here so much for who they took but who they didn't take.
Hawkins is going to be so ****ing good everyone 4-13 is going to regret it

 

[PresidioTrojan]

I'll give it a B-.

Only pick I'll really quibble with is Sensabaugh, there were few others on the board I would have preferred, but at 28 I don't really care that much.

Hendricks at 9 and George at 16 were fine. TBH, they're who I would have drafted given who was on the board at each spot. My primary source of disappointment was that we didn't move up. Was really hoping we'd nab either Black or Walker. But overall, I feel good about the haul. We drafted two really high ceiling players.

 

[Nate505]

I will say I'm having higher hopes for Hendricks now that they drafted him, He seems to have all the tools to be a solid player at the very least. I mean if his defense and shooting are as good as advertised at the minimum he'll be a starter type player with his size. I just hope he can reach at least that fringe all star level territory.

 

[Shad]

I will say, when it was around 13 pick range, I thought our options were Dick, Kobe, and Cam. I was super excited that we were going to get one of those 3 so to hear George's name come up was a little..... disheartening

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I will say I'm having higher hopes for Hendricks now that they drafted him, He seems to have all the tools to be a solid player at the very least. I mean if his defense and shooting are as good as advertised at the minimum he'll be a starter type player with his size. I just hope he can reach at least that fringe all star level territory.

I've watched some more of him today with more rose-colored glasses......

I still dont see much potential for much on-ball growth, but I'm hopeful for what he can bring with his role player qualities.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

The biggest thing I'm hoping for with Hendricks in regards to my evaluation hopefully being wrong is that I'm underestimating how athletic he will be at the NBA level and what he can parlay that into.

 

[Elizah Huge]

The biggest thing I'm hoping for with Hendricks in regards to my evaluation hopefully being wrong is that I'm underestimating how athletic he will be at the NBA level and what he can parlay that into.

An NBA Western Conference Exec said the Thompson twins are the most athletic players in the room until Hendricks walks in.

 

[Bawse Dawg]

An NBA Western Conference Exec said the Thompson twins are the most athletic players in the room until Hendricks walks in.

I posted that tweet last night, and it seemed like total BS immeditaely.

Hope not though.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

An NBA Western Conference Exec said the Thompson twins are the most athletic players in the room until Hendricks walks in.

Yeah I read that and it was some of the biggest cap I have ever seen

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

If Taylor Hendricks was a comparable athlete to Amen Thompson he would potentially rival Wemby for the #1 pick

 

[fishonjazz]

I will say, when it was around 13 pick range, I thought our options were Dick, Kobe, and Cam. I was super excited that we were going to get one of those 3 so to hear George's name come up was a little..... disheartening

Yep plus Hawkins. Then they all got snatched up and cam fell off the earth. I was pretty upset too

 

[Flc]

Kevin O'Connor was on the Bill Simmons podcast post-draft and got me hyped. He considers this an A+ and the Jazz being the clear winners of the draft. Thinks Utah looks scary now.