After several weeks of anticipation, the Utah Jazz have finally made their pick: Darryn Peterson. This comes as no surprise because Peterson arguably fit their needs better than any prospect in the entire draft. More than that, though, there were some antics he did that could have turned off any team picking at No. 2, but not the Jazz.
Sound familiar?
Utah faced a similar predicament when they had the chance to draft Ace Bailey last year, despite his refusal to work out for them or the other teams picking ahead of them out of desire to join the Washington Wizards. If that didn't faze Utah one bit then, it shouldn't shock anyone that they did the same with Peterson.
Despite Peterson's wonky college season and his decision not to work out for the team a week or so before the draft, he is still a Jazzman, proving that talent wins out when it comes to prospects.
That's not a shot at Cameron Boozer, who was also floated as the Jazz's pick at second overall, but Peterson aids a position of need at guard. He's gotten comparisons to some of the legendary guards who came before him, like Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant, which sets the bar a little high but it also demonstrates the rare talent Utah just secured.
The Jazz's long-term future is set and then some
The Jazz's core for next season will be set. Now, they won't be able to keep it for long, but at the very least, they now have three very exciting and very promising young players that are sure to ensure a fantastic future going forward: Peterson, Baileu, and Keyonte George.
It's a pitch-perfect situation because they have the win-now veterans who will be counted on much more than they will, and by the time Utah has to ship some of them out, their trio of young talent should be ready to take on a bigger role.
Utah has always wanted to re-create an era similar to that of the one they had with Karl Malone and John Stockton, except, of course, winning a title. No one is saying they will have that going forward, but they have the talent to do something incredible and bring something to the franchise we have never seen before.
It's been a painful few years, but it's led to this moment. The pain is now over for the Jazz, and the switch is about to be flipped on a new glorious chapter for the franchise!
Add us as a preferred source on Google