Utah Jazz 2020 NBA Draft: Paul Reed is one of the better fits

DePaul junior and draft riser Paul Reed could be an ideal fit for the Utah Jazz in the late stages of the first round in the 2020 NBA Draft.

It has been over two months since the NBA suspended the 2019-20 season. We were supposed to be watching our Utah Jazz in the playoffs right now, but instead, we must change gears while we await the league’s decision on future play.

The 2020 NBA Draft will likely be postponed, but now is a good time to scout prospects that have declared for the draft. The Jazz will be in the later stages of the first round, giving them a chance to nab a steal.

Typically, the Jazz will take the best player available. If they do make a move positionally, though, DePaul’s Paul Reed would make for an intriguing option.

Reed, a power forward/center, played three years at DePaul, and is committed to the draft process, forgoing the remainder of his college eligibility. He’d give the Jazz another young, springy prospect in the frontcourt.

Many questions surround the future of Rudy Gobert, so it will be interesting to see if the Jazz do indeed decide to draft a big man in this year’s draft for insurance purposes. Regardless, Reed is someone that fits if Gobert is here or not.

If you missed my first prospect breakdown (Jahmi’us Ramsey), you can check it out here. Now, let’s take a look at Reed and how his game translates to the big league.

Paul Reed

Age: 20

Height: 6’9″

Weight: 220 lbs

Wingspan: N/A

Strengths

• Ideal size and length at his position
• Protects the rim, capable to switch on guards
• Tremendous athlete
• Attacks the glass
• Soft touch around the rim

Weaknesses

• Has shown upside but not a great shooter yet, mechanics are questionable
• Can get a bit out of control at times

Does Paul Reed make sense for the Utah Jazz?

Paul Reed looks like he’d be an ideal fit for quite a few teams, including the Utah Jazz. Right off the bat, his length pops out at you. No official measurement of his wingspan has been made public yet, but he’s super long and active.

He has great size for a power forward and should be able to comfortably move down to the center position when need be. If he wants to play that position more often in the NBA, he’ll need to bulk up and add some muscle to his frame, though.

Reed has shown that he can at the very least step out and hit that three-point shot every so often. He made 31 three-pointers over his last two years in college. He’s been very efficient from two-point range, shooting 57 percent for two as a college player.

As a junior, Reed averaged a double-double of 15.1 points and 10.7 rebounds. He should be able to come into the league right away and have more of an impact with his experience.

It’s hard to say as of now if Reed would have an immediate role with the Utah Jazz, but they could definitely use an athletic four on the roster. Georges Niang provides elite shooting off the bench at the four spot, but does have defensive concerns.

Reed is one of my personal favorite prospects. I’d love to see him end up on the Utah Jazz. With the player development staff they have, I think Reed could become a really good player. If he can add a consistent outside shot, watch out.