From a roster perspective, it's hard to find a downside to the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade to Utah. Sure, him, Lauri Markkanen, and Walker Kessler is experimental, but it's definitely a risk worth taking. However, with the prevailing theory being that the Utah Jazz still plan to tank, there could be a problem: the best prospect presented to them at the draft could be a big, which they don't need.
Besides the three aforementioned players, the Jazz also have Kyle Filipowski in their big rotation, and there are rumblings that they want to re-sign Jusuf Nurkic. If they stay in Utah, that limits their draft plans, which could be a problem.
Per FanSided's Christopher Kline, should the Jazz keep their pick, they could make the most controversial choice: passing on a better prospect to address a bigger need. Kline has the Jazz getting the No. 4 pick in the draft, which they would use on Kingston Flemings instead of Caleb Wilson. He acknowledged the possibility.
"Utah's stunning trade for Jaren Jackson Jr. pushes its timeline forward a good bit and leaves the front office with a bit of a conundrum here. Caleb Wilson is the consensus 'best prospect,' but the Jazz frontcourt is quite full, especially if Walker Kessler is baked into their long-term plans. Kingston Flemings has closed the gap enough to make this a conversation, especially given the Ainges' affinity for dynamic guard play," Kline wrote.
That doesn't take away from how impressive of a prospect Flemings is, as Kline explained what he brings eloquently.
"Flemings operates with incredible poise and maturity for a freshman, really embodying the ethos of Kelvin Sampson's Houston program. He's also an absolute blur with the rock, able to play low to the floor and explode down the lane with a devastating first step. Flemings' passing gets more impressive with each game, and he's enough of a disruptor to defense to compensate for a smaller frame. He's hitting 3s efficiently, with his at-rim numbers bordering on preposterous. Flemings could be the engine that drives this jumbo Jazz lineup back to the postseason."
When the Jazz's roster is at full strength, the presumed starting lineup will be Markkanen, Jackson, Kessler, Keyonte George, and Ace Bailey. Will Hardy would have some problems trying to figure out who should go to the bench for Flemings, but it's a good problem to have.
The Jazz could also trade down if this happens
If Utah doesn't want to add more to their loaded frontcourt, and yet it's abundantly clear that Wilson is the pick, the easiest decision may simply be to draft him, then dangle him to the highest bidder. Other teams will want him and be willing to offer a good price, so the Jazz would have all the leverage here.
This is a loaded draft, so this would be a rare opportunity for the Jazz to both secure a great talent while getting one for cheaper. Utah could hoard additional assets - something they don't need to do, but would be a luxury - and/or give themselves more options.
Because this is the last year the Jazz will tank for some time, this could also be the opportunity for them to take the most advantage possible while they still can. We must all remember that the only way that happens is if they keep their pick away from OKC, which is still up in the air, but if and when they do, they are in a prime position to take great advantage of such a rare opportunity.