It's unquestionable that if the Utah Jazz get the No. 1 pick, they are taking Cooper Flagg. What remains in question is whether they will get the opportunity.
If they miss out on Flagg, it's not the end of the world. There are plenty of high-level prospects coming in, even if they don't have the same ceiling as Flagg. The general consensus is that after Flagg, the next-best prospect is Dylan Harper.
Harper's an oversized two-way point guard capable of dominating matchups. He'd bring versatility and give the Jazz potentially the next franchise player. The only question with him is his jumpshot. It's not a sure thing if he'll develop that once he comes into the NBA, but remember, Donovan Mitchell wasn't lauded for his jumper going in either.
Harper isn't Isaiah Collier-bad when it comes to his jumper. He's more streaky, but becoming a franchise star will require making his shooting dependable no matter what. With all that out there, Yahoo Sports! Kevin O'Connor gave out his pro comparison for Dylan Harper, and it just so happens to be Jazz alum Deron Williams.
O'Connor didn't delve too much into how Harper could turn into Williams 2.0, but that potential is tantalizing to say the least. Williams played like a franchise player. Every Jazz fan remembers that "Chris Paul or Deron Williams?" because Williams played at that level at his peak. He fell apart shortly after his Jazz tenure ended, but when Williams was at his peak, he was a superstar.
Getting another version of him, after the season the Jazz just had, would be almost-perfect, and it only gets that label because there is one prospect ahead of him, but that doesn't reflect on Harper at all.
Like anyone else, the Jazz would prefer Flagg, but coming away with Harper on Draft Night should make them pretty happy. His dad may or may not have a problem with his son playing in Utah, but they don't have much choice in the matter.
The Jazz have a 13.4% chance of getting the No. 2 pick in the draft, which, like their odds of getting the No. 1 pick, ties them with the Wizards and Hornets for the best odds in that regard.
Much like Williams, Harper would be a start
If the Jazz wind up with Harper, that would be fantastic news for their future. However, Harper would only be the start of a glorious new era. It's the same thing during the Deron Williams era. He was awesome for the Jazz, but he needed an awesome team around him too.
Funny enough, the Jazz already had an excellent core to surround him with, featuring Mehmet Okur, Carlos Boozer, Andrei Kirilenko, Paul Millsap, and Matt Harpring were right there to give him an excellent team.
The Jazz have some good players, but it's fair to say that with Harper hypothetically entering the fray, it's easy to be pessimistic about their playoff chances off the bat. That's the beauty of a rebuild. The Jazz have the time and patience to develop their young core.
If Harper's ceiling is around what Williams' was, then Utah should be in fantastic hands for the next decade, even if they won't see success for a while.