The 2023 NBA Draft takes place on Thursday, June 22, as both rounds are wrapped up in one night. As it approaches, TGH will be taking a quick look some teams’ draft strategies, and shedding some light on what direction they will go with their picks.. Here is the Utah Jazz NBA Draft profile for 2023.
Summary
Utah began the season as a surprising team, and stayed decently competitive until a full collapse eliminated them from the playoffs. Overall, they finished 37-45 after trading away two star players, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. This was also the team’s first year under head coach Will Hardy.
2023 Draft Picks
The Jazz have three picks in the 2023 NBA Draft.
First Round (three picks):
- Pick #9
- Pick #16
- Pick #28
Team Needs
- Overall team direction (i.e. trade or draft)
- Answers at point guard
Projected Targets
Pick #9: Gradey Dick, F, Kansas
Dick may be a small reach if he goes inside the top-10, but this guy has the potential to fill it up right away in the NBA.
A 6-foot-8 forward who has some potential to play a small-ball four if he puts on some weight, Dick is an absolute threat from deep. He shot over 40 percent from deep on 5.7 attempts per game in 2022. He also uses his height to be a surprising hustle rebounder as well. His defense is willing, albeit not great right now. Either way, his offensive capabilities will make up for that. A total sniper for the Jazz.
Pick #16: Bilial Coulibaly, F, Metroplitans 92
Coulibaly may not seem like a player who should be picked quite this high, but this is the exact kind of player that Jazz CEO Danny Ainge likes to build a team around.
He is a defense-first player who doesn’t excel offensively anywhere outside the paint, but that’s not too big of a detractor when looking at what’s in his bag right now. Coulibaly is already decently strong and uses his length correctly to deter opposing offenses. Given the way Ainge liked to build defense in Boston, he could be the pick here.
Pick #28: Colby Jones, G, Xavier
Jones might be the player that has shown up most often in these draft profiles so far. But that’s because he can slot in to most teams right away.
A true team player that could give the Jazz some depth and direction at point guard, Jones is a smooth passer and hard-nosed defender. His spot-up shooting isn’t all there, but as a true point guard, that won’t matter as much. If the Jazz can grab some shooters, Jones will fill up the stat sheet with assists quickly.
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