One thing that is becoming increasingly obvious about the Utah Jazz is that they’ve identified a blind spot in how the rest of the league approaches the draft. And whether you want to call it a risk or a long play, it’s pretty clear they’re leaning into it. This year, as they've done in the past, the Jazz went out and drafted a player who was seen as elite coming out of high school, only to slip after one year in college. And honestly, the strategy makes a lot of sense for a team in Utah’s position.
Keyonte George is already looking like a steal, even if the casual fan probably has not been tuned into Jazz games to see it. He still needs to round out parts of his game, but Utah was never expecting him to be an All-Star in year one. They’re playing the long game, and George is trending in the right direction.
With Ace Bailey, it feels like a very similar bet. He was projected to be a top-three pick not all that long ago, and it is not like his tools disappeared. The Jazz are clearly betting on the idea that one season of college ball where some questions were raised about his game should not outweigh everything that came before it. And in today’s draft landscape, where front offices overreact to short-term dips and one bad tournament game can tank your stock, that’s exactly where value can be found.
Utah continues to play the long game
What helps is that Utah is not in panic mode. They are not trying to force their way into the middle of the Western Conference standings just to get bounced in five games. They are letting their young core grow together, and they are taking big swings on players with high ceilings who just need more time. That is how you rebuild without tanking in a way that drags on for a decade.
Bailey, George, Taylor Hendricks, and Walker Kessler all bring something different to the table. None of them are finished products, and that is sort of the point. The Jazz are betting on development. They are betting on a full sample instead of the last 30 games. And they are building a roster that could look a whole lot scarier two years from now than it does today.
There are a lot of teams in the league trying to win right now with rosters that were built in a rush. Utah is not one of them. They are doing things their own way, and if these bets hit, they will not stay under the radar for much longer.