As the 2023 NBA Draft quickly approaches, the Utah Jazz have to be among the most intriguing teams to watch.
Even though they have supreme flexibility with three first-round picks, they could use them in a myriad of ways. Without question, trading up or down will be an option for the Jazz at the draft. When it comes to trading up, there are two options (or spots) where they could theoretically move up or down.
They could use draft capital to trade up from No. 9, perhaps between the 3-8 spots, or elect to trade up from No. 28 in the 20-17 spots. They do have the No. 16 pick, but there are prospects that they could target in the 20-27 range that won’t necessarily make sense at No. 16. For those potential targets, the Jazz could view them as trade-up or trade-down options.
Either way, we’ll explore seven prospects that the Jazz should be willing to trade up (or even down) for in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Utah Jazz trade targets at the 2023 NBA Draft
Trade-up option: Scoot Henderson
It should really come as no surprise to see Scoot Henderson on this list. If there’s a scenario in which the Jazz could package their three first-round picks in this year’s draft to move up to a spot where they could draft Scoot, they should.
However, I don’t believe that’s something the Charlotte Hornets, who own the No. 2 overall pick, would be interested in, and short of the Jazz including Lauri Markkanen in the deal, the Portland Trail Blazers, with the No. 3 overall pick, would pass.
At least on paper, Scoot has everything you want from a potential face of the franchise. That said, he may be a little out of the Jazz’s realistic trade-up range.