Jazz Mailbag: Is There Roster Space For Four More Rookies?

SALT LAKE CITY – Welcome to the Utah Jazz mailbag, where this week we look at the team’s current roster and how they could accommodate four incoming rookies.

Each week, we will send out a prompt on X and BlueSky asking for the questions you have about the Jazz.

Then, we’ll respond to as many as we can in that week’s Jazz mailbag in the Jazz Notes podcast.

Jazz Mailbag: Can Jazz Draft Four Rookies?

how many open roster spots do we have? Are we really keeping all four picks?

— Jimbo Slice (@JimboRudding) June 9, 2025

Question: How many open roster spots do the Jazz have? Are we really keeping all four picks?

Answer: In his interview on 97.5 the KSL Sports Zone, new President of Basketball Operations Austin Ainge discussed how he expected the Jazz to use their draft picks this year.

“I’m going to listen to everything, I just got into this job so it’s all kind of moving fast,” Ainge said. “But I believe, by far, the most likely scenario is we draft the picks.”

While Ainge was asked specifically about all four picks, I would pre-empt the rest of this mailbag with the reminder that every single second-round pick in the 2024 draft was traded before the pick was made.

New President of Basketball Operations, Austin Ainge, told the @KSLSportsZone that the @utahjazz will “most likely” make all four of their picks in this month’s NBA Draft.#TakeNotehttps://t.co/P0zsbADqnj

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) June 4, 2025

Now, neither the 43rd nor the 53rd picks the Jazz are slotted to make are their own, meaning Ainge and co. could plan to use them, but they are frequently moved assets before, during, and in some cases after the draft.

With that said, the Jazz currently have 15 players on traditional NBA contracts, and will likely have to make roster moves for any player chosen in the first round, and at least one more roster move should they choose to hold both second-rounders.

Teams can carry 21 players on their roster in the summer, but have to trim the number to 15, plus three two-way players by opening night.

Here’s a quick look at the Jazz’s roster and the contract status of every player heading into next season.

1. Lauri Markkanen (Guaranteed)
2. Collin Sexton (Guaranteed)
3. Jordan Clarkson (Guaranteed)
4. Walker Kessler (Guaranteed)
5. Taylor Hendricks (Guaranteed)
6. Keyonte George (Guaranteed)
7. Brice Sensabaugh (Guaranteed)
8. Cody Williams (Guaranteed)
9. Isaiah Collier (Guaranteed)
10. Kyle Filipowski (Guaranteed)
11. John Collins (Player Option)
12. Johnny Juzang (Non-Guaranteed)
13. Svi Mykhailiuk (Non-Guaranteed)
14. KJ Martin (Non-Guaranteed)
15. Jaden Springer (Non-Guaranteed)

In the unlikely scenario that the Jazz would want to add four rookies to guaranteed NBA contracts, they could make room on the roster by waiving Juzang, Mykhailiuk, Martin, and Springer, and still have room to add players on two-way contracts.

However, with two selections in the mid-to-latter half of the second round, I’d suspect the Jazz would sign at least one, if not both picks, to two-way contracts, filling the spot vacated by Micah Potter and Oscar Tshiebwe.

Potter will enter his fifth year of NBA basketball next season, meaning he’s unable to sign a two-way contract. Tshiebwe, with just two years of NBA basketball under his belt, could sign another two-way deal with the Jazz.

Oscar Tshiebwe had the GREATEST rebounding season in G League history! ⭐️

The @utahjazz Two-Way signee posted 17.1 PPG and an all-time league record 19.0 RPG last season for the @slcstars. He had sixteen 20+ REB games including a career-high 30 REB vs. the Wolves. pic.twitter.com/pP1Zrjs6qY

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) June 9, 2025

Now, if the Jazz are enamored with one of their second-round selections, they could offer them a traditional NBA deal, which is what they did last year with Kyle Filipowski, who was taken with the 32nd pick.

If the team were to part ways with Tshiebwe and sign both second-round picks to two-way contracts, they would only have to waive two non-guaranteed players from last year’s roster to make room for their first-rounders.

Juzang was the most productive among the four and is under team control for three more seasons on a near-minimum contract, which might make him the least expendable of the group.

Martin has arguably the highest upside among the Jazz’s non-guaranteed players, but has the biggest price tag at over $8 million, which could work for him (trade purposes) or against him (cap flexibility) during the summer.

Mykhailiuk is the most proven among the team’s non-guaranteed deals, but didn’t look like a future piece of the franchise in 38 appearances last season, while Springer faces a numbers crunch in the backcourt.

If I had to guess, I’d predict the Jazz will retain Juzang and one of Martin or Springer, while clearing room for two roster spots for the fifth and 21st overall picks.

Jazz Mailbag: Who Does What In New Front Office?

It should be noted that John Collins could create another open roster spot in Utah should he opt out of his contract this summer, though he’s unlikely to match his current $26.5 million salary in free agency.

Additionally, the Jazz could opt to use their 21st, 43rd, or 53rd picks on players who don’t plan on joining the NBA next season, stashing them overseas to develop.

While the draft-and-stash approach isn’t as prevalent as it once was, names like Rocco Zikarsky, Izan Almansa, or Michael Ruzic could be options for the Jazz on that front.

Want to ask questions in next week’s Jazz mailbag? Give us a follow at @kslsports.

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Ben Anderson is the author of the Jazz Mailbag, a Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports, the author of the Jazz Mailbag, and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky. 

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