https://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-o...d-options-for-no-12-myles-turner-bobby-portis
Jazz Draft Needs: Myles Turner or Bobby Portis could be perfect fits
By Sam Vecenie | CBSSports.com
June 12, 2015 1:02 pm ET
To get ready for the NBA Draft, we'll be providing options, needs and possibilities for each team. Today's entry is the Utah Jazz, who will pick at No. 12 and also have picks at Nos. 42 and 54.
The Utah Jazz really came on at the end of last season. Ranking as the top defense in the NBA from January 15th onward, the team seems to have found an identity that they can move forward with.
Now, it'll be on coach Quin Snyder and the rest of the staff to find a way to make all of these pieces work offensively, and there is indeed a lot to work with here. Gordon Hayward might be a top-five small forward in the NBA. Derrick Favors also may be a future all-star after taking a big step forward last season and averaging 16 points and eight rebounds. Even defensive monster Rudy Gobert has shown some potential as a pick-and-roll threat, which will be essential to their spacing.
With some returning pieces and a few assets with which to use at their disposal, the Jazz might be on the cusp of making their leap into the Western Conference playoff hierarchy. Here is what they could use on draft night, and what their options are.
NEEDS -- OFFENSE, STRETCH-FOUR, SHOOTER
The Jazz are one or two pieces away from being a real, legitimate playoff contender in the NBA. And honestly, those needs could quite easily come from within the organization already. The Jazz need a bit more offense, next season to go with their defense, and could use another creator or two. Luckily, they'll be getting one back in Alec Burks after he missed most of the season due to injury. Also, last year's No. 5 overall pick Dante Exum will be a year older and more experienced, which means he should be expected to take something of a step forward. Finally, despite two middling seasons, Trey Burke is still very much has the mentality of a lead guard if the skills can eventually come along.
With those three in the fold, the Jazz's backcourt should improve just through continued development. However, that doesn't mean that they're hole-less roster either. They could use a real shot maker in the fold in between Gordon Hayward and their point guard in order to help space the floor a bit better. Burks is a solid shooter, but stylistically he's more of an attacker off the dribble. Rodney Hood also profiles as a high-level shooter. But despite finishing sixth in the NBA in 3-point percentage last year, they took the fifth-fewest shots from beyond the arc. Getting players more comfortable from that distance could really help them take that next step forward.
In that vein, a spot-up shooting stretch-four could also help to give them a different look off the bench. Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert have the starting positions locked down, but neither of them are really shooters. Trevor Booker played well off the bench in the stretch-four role (knocking down 34 percent of his 80-plus attempts), but he's more comfortable as a physical wrecking ball that can attack the glass hard. Simply diversifying their frontcourt skillsets could lead to a more versatile attack with more options to exploit against different types of teams.
SIX POTENTIAL OPTIONS
Myles Turner | C | Texas | Ranking: No. 10
Turner would be the type of stretch-five prospect I mentioned in the needs section that would fit with the Jazz. The team can afford to bring him along slowly due to their relative depth already, which would help as Turner continues to round out his game. He'd also be a true rim protector for the Jazz to play when Gobert went out, as Turner averages more blocks per minute than any player in the draft outside of Robert Upshaw. Taking Turner would be another high upside type of player, but they've done a good job of developing those guys recently.
Devin Booker | SG | Kentucky | Ranking: No. 13
Booker is the best shooter in this draft, and he'd be unafraid to let it fly from deep. He could play next to just about any combination of point guards and wings next to him that the Jazz could trot out, allowing those attacking players more space with which to operate. Also, his struggles defensively right now could be somewhat mitigated by Gobert and Favors inside, as well as some of the other length around him. Basically, it would bring the Jazz more offense, and that's exactly what they need to make a playoff push.
Frank Kaminsky | C | Wisconsin | Ranking: No. 14
Kaminsky is another pretty terrific option as a stretch-four/five that would just give them something than different than they already have at the position. His shooting could open up the lane for attacking guards like Burks and Exum, and his defense would be masked by playing him with guys like Gobert. Plus, at 22-years-old he's likely one of the prospects more likely to make an impact in the NBA next season, which likely interests a team that may want to compete soon.
Bobby Portis | PF/C | Arkansas | Ranking: No. 12
Portis is a big man that can step away from the basket and shoot as well as play physical defense and rebound. That's a pretty strong combination for the Jazz, who could deploy him at both the four or the five with either Favors or Gobert. He'd give them some frontcourt positional versatility that they currently lack off the bench with Booker.
Kelly Oubre | SF/SG | Kansas | Ranking: No. 11
Oubre doesn't necessarily fit the Jazz needs as stated above, but he does fit them from the perspective of giving them something different off the wing. None of the Hayward, Hood and Burks group are really elite athletes. However, Oubre could potentially fit that bill, and when put into conjunction with his length he could become a bit of a defensive stopper that could give them some further matchup versatility against different teams.
Kevon Looney | PF | UCLA | Ranking: No. 16
Looney is a guy that just fits what the Jazz would want from a big man to give them more versatility. He rebounds the ball at a really high level, can handle the ball in the backcourt to get the fast break moving, and can defend multiple players on switches due to his length and instincts. The key for him to make his mark on this team would be continuing to develop his jump shot. If he could do that over the course of the next year or so, Looney would make a lot of sense here.
TRADE?
Trade Up: I don't want to say never, but it would be a surprise if the Jazz moved up in this draft. They're in a pretty good position given that six different guys fit their roster needs, and I'm not sure they really need to move assets to add another very young piece to their rotation. Maybe if they fall in love with a Stanley Johnson or one of the aforementioned targets that I mentioned above they would slide up a couple of spots. But overall, I doubt a ground-breaking trade up maneuver happens for them.
Trade Down/Out: This seems much more likely. The Jazz could look to go out and get another piece with which to make a playoff run this season. I doubt that trade outs become common over the course of the next two drafts -- due to the nature of the rising cap, rookie contracts will become even more important -- but if they really believe they're on the cusp of something great and they think they can the right player in a package of assets and picks, No. 12 should absolutely be on the table.
SOMETHING OUT OF THE BOX
I'm not sure the Jazz are really the organization to look at for out of the box moves. Utah has only consummated two trades for their first round pick since 2000, both of which were only marginal moves to move up five spots or fewer in the draft. They typically take one of the top players available at a position of need. It's a pretty simple formula, but given how quickly things seem to be building in Salt Lake City, that might be all they need this time around.
