The latest NBA mock draft has Jazz as a “Plug-And-Play Scorer.”
The Utah Jazz’s version of the NBA regular season is almost finished, so now is a good time to assess the team’s standing in the most recent mock drafts. Even though the much-awaited night is still over two months away, it’s always a good idea to scout the board at this time of year.
One of the most interesting teams to watch as draft night draws near is Utah. They will probably hang onto another first in their pick if it falls inside the first ten slots. They already retain a late first and an early second-round pick. While the subsequent selections are certainly not to be laughed at, most people’s attention will be on what will happen to their lottery pick.
After leading the Volunteers to a successful NCAA tournament run, the Jazz ultimately decided to take a chance on Tennessee G/F Dalton Knecht with their projected eighth-overall pick in Bleacher Report’s most recent NBA mock draft. Later, NBA scout Jonathan Wasserman explained the reasoning behind the team’s selection:
“Dalton Knecht added another exceptional scoring performance to his resume, which already includes games with 30–40 points against Kentucky, Auburn, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida, despite the loss to Purdue… His skill set seems perfect for a complimentary position at the next level, where he can receive dribble handoffs and convert them into drives or pull-ups while spacing the floor and curling off screens.Knecht, who turns 23 this month, may face criticism from some who believe he is too old to be a lottery winner. However, in 2024, most teams won’t be that particular. Outside of the top five, the notion of adding a plug-and-play scorer with a valued core skill and professional approach would look intriguing.”
Knecht gives the Jazz, a club that could use some wing depth, exactly what they need. Although he is older than average for a prospect, it is not a major problem for a club that already has a number of young players to develop into starters and other draft picks to come.
After a stellar senior season in which he shot 45.8/39.7/77.2 for an average of 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists, Knecht recently left Tennessee. It won’t be shocking to hear his name called in the June draft lottery given his influence as a productive option on the offensive end of the ball.
The Jazz have strengthened their young core over the last two offseasons by adding Walker Kessler, a big man who was a nominee for the ROTY award last season, as well as two powerful, high-potential forwards in Lauri Markkanen and Taylor Hendricks. It could be quite beneficial to add another lottery wing to the mix that fits in well and performs well at all three levels.
We still have a few games left in the NBA regular season this year, so it will be some time before we see how the Jazz handle this procedure. But soon, new youthful talent will be joining the Salt Lake City team—as long as they stay inside their top-ten protection.
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