Utah Jazz: 5 Stars to pair with Don if he can’t forgive Rudy
By Caleb Manser
Honorable Mentions
Eric Paschall package
Mitchell said he grew up across the street from Eric Paschall, and that friendship continues today. Paschall was drafted in the second round of last year’s draft, and got some unexpected big playing time with the Golden State Warriors this year.
He was one of the few bright spots, showing he is a legitimate NBA player, but beyond a role player, it’s hard to tell how far he will go in this league. Therefore, he gets an honorable mention.
The Warriors with Rudy Gobert and the Splash Brothers would be unstoppable, and maybe the Jazz would have an interest in their high draft pick this upcoming draft packaged with Paschall.
Devonte’ Graham package
The sophomore for the Charlotte Hornets had a breakout year. His 3-point stroke is lethal, and he would be a great complement to Donovan Mitchell in the backcourt offensively. It’s on defense where things get hairy.
The Hornets this season had the sixth worst defensive rating, and Devonte’ Graham didn’t do much to help that. Beyond his age (25), outside shooting, and previous experience being Mitchell’s teammate, there’s not much of a case for the Jazz to chase Graham.
Christian Wood
It’s crazy to think that back on October, the Pistons were deciding on their final roster spot to be between Joe Johnson and Christian Wood. I was rooting for Iso Joe to make a comeback to the NBA after lighting up the Big 3 league in the summer, but the basketball gods had different plans.
The Pistons had a slew of injuries to most of their best players, and the ones that weren’t hurt were either traded or bought out from the team. This opened up major playing time for Wood, which he took full advantage.
He’s a good modern big with range and defensive ability, but his ceiling isn’t high enough to justify giving up Rudy Gobert.