# 5 - Utah Jazz

via Pedro Ribeiro Simoes on Flickr

What I'd Do:

Aaron Gordon - Arizona

6'9" (7'0" wingspan), 220 lbs, 9/16/1995

As much as it pains me as a Celtics fan to see this, the Jazz have a HUGE hole at SF.  Aaron Gordon is the type of player that will fit well on any team and the Jazz might be a great fit for Aaron as well.  They're obviously patient with their young players which bodes well for one of the youngest prospects in the draft and there won’t be the national pressure on him to develop quickly in Utah compared to LA or Boston.  

Gordon is a supreme defender that will be able to impact the game in many ways without having to play with the ball.  That's an invaluable skill.  He may never reach the ceiling that some of these prospects do, but he has as good a chance as any player in this draft to someday be an impactful player on a championship team.  

Gordon can rebound and defend, that much we know.  His free throw percentage was atrocious and is a red flag  He may be able to play some power forward, especially if he ended up in the east, but he is undersized for that position the way Derrick Williams was.  The Kirilenko comparison definitely works, although more of a 2/3/4 hybrid than 3/4/5.  Hmmm, 2/3/4 hybrid that can rebound and defend out of college?  That sounds eerily similar to a certain recent NBA Finals MVP.  That’s why his ability to develop a decent outside shot is paramount.  He did shoot 35% in limited attempts from three, and remember, Kawhi capped out at 28% from 3 in college.  There’s a solid base there and plenty of room for development.  Here’s a hint Utah: Hire a good shooting coach.  

Gordon may not have put up the offensive numbers some expected at Arizona, but he came onto a veteran squad that spent much of the season as college basketball’s best.  Gordon’s 1.09 Points per Possession puts him right in line with two fellow prospects believed to have offensively polished games: Jabari (1.14) and Randle (1.07).  Gordon was utilized way less on offense than those players because the rest of his team was better.  Instead of questioning why he didn’t dominate more, maybe we should commend him for finding a way to contribute to his teams wins.

What IThink They'll Do:

Hope and pray that somehow Jabari falls to them.  I don’t think they have the pieces or aggressive mindset to trade up for him.  They just had Julius Randle in and are apparently impressed and unconcerned about his foot.  Chad Ford has them taking Vonleh (or Exum if he falls to them).  Many outsiders seem to think Marcus Smart would be a 'Quin Snyder type'.  So basically, who knows?

I actually think Utah is as good a candidate as any to trade down and if one of the top 3 or Exum slips for some reason, they would definitely have suitors.  If they are concerned about getting outbid for Gordon Hayward or about paying him $50 million, they might consider Marcus Smart here, but even then, a more economical option would be to trade down 5-8 spots and choose Gary Harris.  

Crazy Draft Day Trade:

Utah gets desperate and offers Milwaukee Alec Burks, the # 5 and # 23 for the # 2 and even then the Bucks might hang up the phone.  The Jazz might have to eat some salary and take back Zaza’s $15 million over 3 years or Ilyasova’s $31 million over 4.  In either case, that might not be so bad for the Jazz.  Zaza, though a bit overpaid, would be a solid back up center for any team.  Ersan could flourish in a new situation.  How about Trey Burke, Gordon Hayward, Jabari Parker, Ersan, and Favors with Kanter off the bench.  Not so bad, right?