Despite how it almost backfired on them completely last season, the Utah Jazz are tanking again this season. This time, there appear to be even more elite prospects that will enter the league in 2026. One in particular is garnering comparisons to ex-Jazz star Donovan Mitchell, which is why the Jazz have every reason to tank again. This prospect goes by the name of Darryn Peterson.
Game Theory's Sam Vecenie gushed about Peterson while proclaiming him as the No. 1 prospect in college this season. While talking about everything he likes about Peterson, Vecenie compared him to the former Jazz icon while making it clear he's even further ahead now than Mitchell was when he was in college.
"The player that he really reminds me of is like an early career Donovan Mitchell... stylistically when you watch him, that's the guy that it reminds me of. I think Darryn's ahead of where (Mitchell) was though when he was this age," Vecenie said.
The irony in that statement is that what made Mitchell so impressive is that he proved immediately in Utah that he was ready to roll. From the jump, he proved that he was special, and he only got better from there. It's a shame it didn't work out in the end with Mitchell, but he really was a unique one-of-a-kind story as a Jazzman.
Peterson potentially being the better version of Mitchell is precisely why the Jazz have every reason to tank as hard as they will. To have that kind of player in their arsenal again could set them up for years to come. There's another reason why Utah should go all-in on the tank for Peterson.
There's a lot of uncertainty surrounding their young guard rotation
There's a lot more optimism surrounding the Jazz's youth movement now compared to this time a year ago. Ace Bailey looks as good as advertised, Kyle FIlipowski went nuclear in the Summer League, and Brice Sensabaugh continues to prove that folks shouldn't be underestimating him.
But then, there's the guards on the Jazz's roster. With Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson out of the picture, Utah will have Keyonte George, Isaiah Collier, and Walter Clayton Jr. take the lion's share of the guard minutes.
All of them have a certain intrigue to them, but none are concrete foundational pieces. It sounds like George wants to be more of a leader, that Clayton is already a natural leader, and Collier is coming off an impressive rookie season. However, George is coming off a disappointing second season, Clayton is unproven, and Collier's jumper is a huge question mark.
Bringing Peterson into the fray could provide the Jazz with significant relief regarding their backcourt's long-term prospects. Any one of those three Jazz guards could be special, but given Peterson's most recent pro comparison to Mitchell, Utah would sleep a lot better at night if they had that kind of talent.