Utah Jazz's Top Needs After 2026 NBA Draft Lottery Results
The NBA Draft lottery is in the books, and the Utah Jazz are now set at pick No. 2.
As they continue to evaluate the prospects who may be available there, we're here to break down the biggest needs for Utah to address in the draft.
Star Wing
The model Danny Ainge used with the Boston Celtics eventually led to a championship in 2024. He has a chance to replicate it in Utah.
Pairing one of this class's potential superstar wings with Ace Bailey could give the Jazz the potential to have a Jaylen Brown-Jayson Tatum-like combo in the middle of their starting five.
Playmaking
With Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Walker Kessler (a restricted free agent) and Kyle Filipowski all likely to be back, Utah really doesn't need any help in the frontcourt.
Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier have provided plenty of reasons for optimism in the backcourt, too, but stardom can't be guaranteed for either. Supplementing their skillsets with a little more playmaking would make sense. If they could get that from a wing, one pick could end up being a "two birds with one stone" player.
Realistic Draft Targets at No. 2 Pick
- AJ Dybantsa (BYU, SF)
- Darryn Peterson (Kansas, SG)
- Cameron Boozer (Duke, PF)
If AJ Dybantsa slides to No. 2, the Jazz would be wise to snatch him up with "best player available" in mind. He's a 6'9", ultra-athletic, powerful wing who just averaged an NCAA-leading 25.5 points per game—and he's just 19 years old with perhaps the highest ceiling in the draft.
However, assuming the BYU star is off the board, Utah has two viable options in Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer.
While Boozer, 6'9", 250 pounds, might cause a frontcourt logjam, Peterson, 6'6", 205 pounds, brings good size and elite shotmaking both on and off the ball, addressing a real need.
According to B/R NBA Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman, "As of now, before medicals or interviews, scouts sound more enticed by Darryn Peterson's upside than Cameron Boozer's."
*Check out full scouting reports for AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer.
