Not too long after the Utah Jazz drafted Darryn Peterson, Austin Reaves agreed to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers on a new extension, where he got quite the substantial pay raise. It's not like Reaves joining the Jazz was likely, but they had been rumored to be a Reaves destination. However, once they drafted Peterson, that went out the window.
Because Peterson and Reaves play the same position, that basically meant that Utah taking him with the second overall pick left no need for Reaves. If they had taken, say, Cameron Boozer, then maybe this could have been an offseason plotline (though not likely given how quick Reaves was to sign on the dotted line).
There's also the possibility that maybe the Jazz wouldn't have had a problem with having both (when in Rome!), but we have seen teams get weighed down by too much talent. Plus, getting Reaves would have required making a few deals left and right just to add him on the money he wanted.
Needless to say though, Utah probably won't lose any sleep over losing out on Reaves with Peterson on the team.
Peterson is a better addition for Utah than Reaves
Reaves is an excellent player, and while it may have been a little odd to to fit him into the Jazz's makeup before they took Peterson, he is an exceptional scorer. Every team in the NBA looking to win would want someone like him.
However, drafting Peterson would make Reaves superfluous on the roster. Not to mention, with how much hype Peterson has coming into the NBA, it may not be such a hot take to believe that he has a higher ceiling than Reaves does. For how good Reaves inarguably is, he is at best teeters at an almost star. He's a Desmond Bane type of player, where a winner could really use him, but most optimistically as their third guy.
Peterson projects to be better than that, as the bar for him has been set at franchise player. Even better, Utah won't have to ask him to be that right away, as they have a good enough roster to let him come into his own over the next few years.
It doesn't stop there. For what Peterson brings to the table, whether it's imemdiately or a few years down the line, he's on a team-friendly contract. While Reaves will be paid tens of millions with each passing year, Peterson will be paid around one fourth of that, which fits the Jazz's intentions like a glove both on the court and in their payroll.
All things considered, Reaves was a nice thought for the Jazz, but they should be ecstatic with what they have with Peterson.
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