Utah Jazz Pick Possibilities: #15-30

Posted by Andy Larsen on June 25, 2009

I would be surprised if the guys in the post featuring #1-15 fell to Utah at #20, so these are the players the Jazz could conceivably draft. Let’s get started:

16. James Johnson – has moved up in a lot in mock drafts since I wrote the last post, and the rumors say the Jazz are very interested, maybe even to move up in order to get him. His scouting report reminds me a little bit of a bigger Ronnie Brewer – active defensively, great finisher around the basket, weaknesses include 3 point shooting and discipline. Someone like Ronnie Brewer would be a steal, in this weak draft, at 20. Moving up to get him? I’m not so sure.

17. Tyler Hansbrough – I like him. Everyone talks about his limited potential, well yeah, I don’t think he’s going to be the best player in the draft. But he’s going to rebound, try hard, and have crazy eyes. J-Slo would love him, and Utah as a whole would too. He would be a Matt Harpring who was actually a PF his whole life.

18. Sam Young – David Locke just Twittered this: One of my sources on the NBA Draft just texted me that the Utah Jazz want Sam Young in the NBA Draft. So who are you, Sam Young? You are a 24 YO SF from Pitt, you can finish, you’re small for your position, you can rebound, you’re efficient, you’re pretty athletic. Not a bad pick.

19. Jeff Teague – Apparently the entire Jazz scouting staff, save for the international guy, was on hand when Teague dropped 30 on BYU last year. So they like Teague as a backup option for Deron. The question with him is whether or not he can do more than score. He’s not a true point, but is probably too short for the SG in the NBA.

20. Eric Maynor – Is a true PG, limited athletically and defensively, and isn’t a great shooter. Like Teague, though, he can score, and he probably is a better leader than Teague on the floor. This is what puts him over the other guards, but Teague is in a good conference, while Maynor was not.

21. Earl Clark – In mock drafts he goes in the mid teens, but I don’t think the Jazz like him. Why? He has both mental and physical toughness questions, doesn’t always play hard, and can’t shoot. Does that sound like a Sloan guy to you?

22. Taj Gibson – Another guy that I’ve heard rumors the Jazz like. He’s someone who’s moved up the draft boards as teams see his shot blocking ability and quick feet, and his scoring really improved at USC this year. Still, he’s 24, so you know what you’re getting.

23. Jonas Jerebko – A jack-of-all-trades, master of none type out of Sweden. He hustles, is a pretty good outside shooter, and his rep in workouts is that he wants to improve. He also wants to come to the NBA, so that helps. At this spot, I would love him, but I’m not sure its what the Jazz are looking for, and 20 is probably too high for him.

24. Rodrigue Beaubois – Another “not a true PG” kind of guy, but this one is from overseas! The Draft Express profile for him lists 4 different ways to call him fast: he’s great at “transition play”, “lateral quickness”, “incredibly quick”, “speed”. His DX best case: Ronnie Price. We already have one of those.

25. Patrick Mills – Also known for being incredibly quick, but displayed it against the US playing for Australia. So why is he lower? Well, the stats show he’s not very efficient, he tends to be kind of a chucker. That being said, his DX worst case: Dee Brown. We already had one of those.

26. Nick Calathes – This is more of a situational need pick, because I think the Jazz would like to have their backup PG able to play some SG as well. Calathes is 6′5”, known for not being incredibly athletic or talented, but playing in control at all times.  If we wanted to, we could stash him overseas, he’s said he’s playing over there next year.

27. Darren Collison – You know who Darren Collison reminds me of? Jacque Vaughn. Limited PG out of a big basketball school that did pretty well, has limitations, but in the end will be a decent backup PG. That’s it. If I’m off base, please let me know.

28. Chase Budinger – Budinger is athletic, a pretty good shooter, tall for his position, and can finish in college. Teams are worried about his potential, and whether or not he’s good enough to play in the NBA. I feel like when he gets 20 years older, he’ll look like Bill Walton.

29. Toney Douglas – Another PG who’s not a true point guard. See why people have trouble with this draft? This is far and away the most PGs that will ever be taken in a 1st round, but about 60 percent of them aren’t good passers. If your strongest position is not even good at the defining characteristic of that position, you have a weak draft. Anyway, Toney Douglas is another one of those.

30. B.J. Mullens – The Jazz should stay away, unless they somehow trade down to 30, then draft B.J. Mullens, then trade him away for something better. Seriously, I will be shocked if Mullens turns out to be any good at all. He was schooled in the draft workouts by Luke Nevill (who might/probably won’t even be drafted), and then he cried about it. This is who you want on your team? What’s going to happen wants J-Slo tells him to run a lap, or he realizes he’s the 3rd best center to come out of Ohio State in the last 3 years? Is he going to cry again? Break down? Do we need to separate him from the rest of the team? Make the “B.J. Mullens’ time out” chair? Anyway, I don’t like him and I don’t think the Jazz do either.

Anyway, let us know your thoughts on draft day today.

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