The Utah Jazz just barely missed this year's NBA Playoffs and, unfortunately for a perennially solid but unspectacular team, it seems as though Utah is heading into a new era of uncertainty.
NBA Draft 2013: Utah Jazz load up with two first-round picks
The Utah Jazz own the No. 14 and No. 21 picks in the 2013 NBA Draft, giving them two assets to rebuild their barren roster.
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The Jazz have a lot of big decisions to make this year in regards to free agency and, although their recent draft picks have all been solid, Utah has yet to really find the great players necessary for teams to succeed in today’s NBA. They’ll look to do that this year, though, with a pair of first-round picks.
Draft picks
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Visit SLC Dunk for more on the Jazz. Utah's picks will be the No. 14 in the first round and No. 46 in the second round. The Jazz also have the No. 21 pick, courtesy of the Brooklyn Nets (by way of the Golden State Warriors) in conjunction with the Deron Williams trade.
Depth chart
Point Guard - Maurice Williams (free agent), Jamaal Tinsley (free agent), Earl Watson (free agent)
Shooting Guard - Randy Foye (free agent), Alec Burks, Jerel McNeal (non-guaranteed), Kevin Murphy (non-guaranteed)
Small Forward - Gordon Hayward, DeMarre Carroll (free agent), Marvin Williams (Early Termination Option)
Power Forward - Paul Millsap (free agent), Derrick Favors, Jeremy Evans
Center - Al Jefferson (free agent), Enes Kanter
The above doesn’t show a lot of promise for continuity considering four of the five main Utah starters will enter free agency without a Jazz contract. That could mean great things for rebuilding around a young nucleus of Favors, Burks, Hayward and Kanter, but the team will likely need to sign at least a couple of their own free agents if they’re going to be successful next season.
Biggest need(s)
The biggest need is to figure out what’s going to happen with the post positions, because Utah really can’t afford to let both Millsap and Jefferson walk without getting anything in return. It sounds as though the team will try harder to re-sign Millsap, though, meaning a true center will be imperative heading into next season, especially if Kanter isn’t fully healthy at the start of training camp.
Aside from that, bringing in a point guard that can man the helm for multiple seasons wouldn’t hurt.
Potential targets
Many mock drafts seem to think that Germany’s Dennis Schroeder (scouting report) will fit with the Jazz at either the No. 14 or No. 21 picks, but Michael Carter-Williams (scouting report) and Shane Larkin (scouting report) could also be available in that area of the draft. It’s difficult to say which player would fit the best considering the rest of the team won’t be established until after free agency.
As far as centers are concerned, Utah will likely have the option of choosing between international bigs like Lucas Nogueira (scouting report) or Rudy Gobert (scouting report) if they choose to get their point guard first. If they go with a big man in the lottery, though, Steven Adams (scouting report), Mason Plumlee (scouting report) or Kelly Olynyk (scouting report) are all possible options.
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