Utah Jazz Mock Draft Round Up

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The NBA Draft is 30 days away, and with the Utah Jazz owning the 30th pick in the first round, which player does each popular mock draft have Jazz selecting?

The Jazz second-round pick is owned by the Indiana Pacers as a result of the draft-night trade in 2019 that sent what would be the 60th pick in this year’s draft to Indy in exchange for Jarrell Brantley.

Meanwhile, next year’s first-round draft pick is nearly guaranteed to be sent to the Memphis Grizzlies to complete the Mike Conley trade, adding extra importance to finding a young piece that can help the roster for years to come.

Utah Jazz Mock Draft Round-Up

Yahoo Sports – Trey Murphy III: Forward – Virginia

In the latest mock draft from Yahoo Sports, draft expert Krysten Peek projects the Jazz selecting Virginia guard Trey Murphy III.

Murphy is a sharpshooting combo forward that projects as a 3-and-D prospect that should be able to contribute on both ends of the floor in the NBA.

👀 Trey Murphy III (@Treymurphyiii) with the fast-break slam 💪

📺 @espn: https://t.co/8QRt6Kklou#GoHoos | #Wahoowa 🔶🔷 pic.twitter.com/PmhpD3zfuz

— Virginia Cavaliers (@VirginiaSports) February 16, 2021

Standing 6’9 with a 7’0 wingspan Murphy brings impressive length to his 40 percent three-point conversion rate.

Having spent three seasons at Virginia, Murphy has been both battle-tested, and well-coached during his college career.

ESPN – Nah’Shon “Bones” Hyland: Guard – VCU

Few players helped themselves more than Nah’Shon “Bones” Hyland at the NBA combine. The high-scoring VCU guard showed off his speed and size after the Rams were held out of the NCAA tournament due to a rash of failed COVID-19 tests on the roster.

Bones Hyland pro day. Shot 15-of-18 here from 30+ feet out. pic.twitter.com/lPu55cELFm

— Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) June 28, 2021

Bones is a career 40 percent three-point shooter in two seasons at VCU, can play both guard positions, and averaged 19.5 points as a sophomore.

“Hyland’s deep shooting range could be attractive here, along with his ability to play both on or off the ball in different lineup configurations,” ESPN’s Jonathan Givony said. “He had a strong showing at the NBA combine, boosting his stock firmly into first-round territory.”

Tankathon – Joel Ayayi: Guard – Gonzaga

Joel Ayayi had an incredibly efficient year for Gonzaga, shooting 58 percent from the floor and 39 percent from the three-point as a guard.

Ayayi benefited from playing on a superstar roster at Gonzaga that fell one game short of winning a national championship but has proven to be able to handle the rigors of playing with and against top-tier talent at the NCAA level.

I can't get enough of Joel Ayayi's cutting. Probably the most fun skill in the class for me.
Here are two great examples from the KU game that happened w/in 60 sec of each other. pic.twitter.com/FmJEz1wFUP

— Draft Dummies (@DraftDummies) June 18, 2021

An elite pick and roll player with a unique feel for playing on and off the ball, Ayayi could flourish alongside fellow Frenchman Rudy Gobert and playing next to Donovan Mitchell.

At 6’5 and 180 lbs, the guard has good size for the guard position and should be a contributor on both ends of the floor, but his body will need significant development in the NBA.

NBAdraft.net – Roko Prkacin: Forward – Croatia

Like fellow countryman Bojan Bogdanovic, Roko Prkacin projects as a floor-spacing combo forward at the NBA level given time to develop. Unlike the current Jazz forward, however, Prkacin is a develop ball-handler with the ability to pass the ball at a young age.

The forward averaged 12.9 points for Cibona while shooting 35 percent from the three-point line.

38 points on 20 shots for 18-year-old Roko Prkacin against Zadar in Adriatic League play. The 6-9 forward knocked down 6-of-8 threes, which is huge considering his shooting inconsistencies in the past. A lot to like about Prkacin's offensive versatility. pic.twitter.com/r6S8Pbf1iH

— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) April 14, 2021

The son of a former professional basketball player, Prkacin has a high basketball IQ and has shown off the ability to both initiate an offense and contributed on the defensive end.

However, at just 18 years old, Prkacin may need more time to develop than other prospects.

CBS Sports – Josh Christopher: Guard – Arizona State

Like Hyland, Josh Christopher saw his draft stock climb after a strong showing at the NBA draft combine over the weekend.

A five-star recruit out of high school, Christopher played only 15 games at Arizona State due to a leg injury that held him out of the final stretch of games of the Sun Devils season.

Thought Josh Christopher crushed his Pro Day today. Shot it way better than expected, both off the dribble and with his feet set, showed his power and explosiveness, and went really hard all the way through. Good look for him. pic.twitter.com/4efgJAa4tq

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 27, 2021

Christopher averaged 14.3 points, 4.7 assists and 1.5 steals at ASU and shot the ball well enough during the combine weekend to alleviate some concerns over his 30 percent completion rate in college.

The ASU product is an explosive off-guard who excels in transition and projects as a high-level scorer at the next level. Christopher’s brother Patrick had a brief stint with the Jazz in 2014.