New NBA Draft Rumors on How Darryn Peterson Is Viewed by Jazz amid AJ Dybantsa Buzz

The Utah Jazz reportedly already envision how they are going to use Darryn Peterson if they do select the Kansas star with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft.

"Though Peterson described himself as a point guard at the NBA Combine, league sources believe Utah views the Ohio native as a potential backcourt partner for Keyonte George, sharing playmaking duties," Ben Anderson of KSL Sports reported Friday.

Peterson is one of a number of top prospects in a loaded draft that also includes AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson.

According to Anderson, the Jazz already met with Boozer and plan on meeting with Peterson and Dybantsa within the next week. There are obvious in-state connections with Dybantsa seeing how he finished his high school career in Utah and played collegiately at BYU. What's more, members of the Jazz attended a number of his BYU games.

However, he may not be available at No. 2.

B/R's Jonathan Wasserman projected the Washington Wizards to take Dybantsa with the top pick in his most recent mock draft, leaving Peterson at No. 2 for the Jazz. The Kansas star is anything but a consolation prize, though, as Wasserman listed one of the NBA's top playmakers in Anthony Edwards as a pro comparison.

"Peterson's off-ball scoring, shooting range and defensive quickness are his bankable selling points that even Dybantsa doesn't possess," Wasserman wrote.

Darryn Peterson Scores 21 Points vs. St. John's Red Storm

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Highlighting that off-ball scoring and overall shooting range is notable given the report about Utah planning on using him as a "backcourt partner" with George.

George is just 22 years old and figures to be a key part of Utah's future after he was a first-round pick in the 2023 NBA draft. He has also improved his facilitating every season and averaged a career-high 6.1 assists per game in 2025-26.

Playing alongside Peterson figures to only help those assist numbers, and the Jazz may have their backcourt of the future after this year's draft.