Danny Ainge has been with the Utah Jazz since 2022. He doesn't have the same responsibilities that he did with the Boston Celtics, but his affiliation with the team more or less confirms that he's involved in their decisions, including drafting.
Note that Ainge's expertise got the Celtics their 17th banner and heavily influenced their 18th banner 16 years later. His shrewed drafting had a lot to do with that. Surely, that expertise has transitioned to the Jazz, right?
Well, not exactly. The Jazz's draft history since 2023 has not been terrible, but it has just been odd to some degree.
It's hard not to notice Jazz's draft flops
Let the record show that no, we're not talking about Ace Bailey or Darryn Peterson. They were brilliant picks. They were also pretty easy picks to make given their established talent before they were even drafted. There was some risk with them, but anyone who had been in Utah's shoes would have made those picks. Those decisions were that straightforward.
No, we're talking about the two lottery picks they picked before those two: Taylor Hendricks and Cody Williams. Their time with the Jazz was cut short, and both could be excellent players down the line. However, the fact that they
In their own defense, it's not entirely their fault. Hendricks broke his leg super early in his sophomore year, while Williams looked like skin and bones when he first took the floor. Regardless, their time as Jazzmen weren't exactly remarkable.
Because they were picked so high, and, even if more context is needed, because the Jazz cut ties with them so early, it's not a good look for Utah to see two top-10 picks not pan out for them much.
But the Jazz have gotten a few steals
Okay, so two of their highest four picks in the last four years haven't exactly worked out. However, what kind of makes up for that is that Utah has found some pretty quality players outside of the lottery. That starts with Keyonte George, who was picked No. 16. Getting a blossoming star like him, who has embraced Utah no doubt, is a rare feat.
Of course, George is the best one, but besides him, Utah has found some good players even further down the line. In that same draft in 2023, the Jazz picked Brice Sensabaugh, whose production has ebbed and flowed but he looks like Utah's next bench scorer.
The following draft, after Williams, they picked Isaiah Collier late in the first round and Kyle Filipowski early in the second. For where they were picked - not to mention how weak the 2024 NBA Draft is - Utah made good on those two.
So the Jazz got two potential franchise players (because they were right there for the taking), got two flops in the high lottery, but made up for that by getting quality players that range from rotation player to future star.
The Jazz draftees in the Ainge era has been a mixed bag overall. No executive has a perfect record, but it's fair to suggest that Ainge's record with Utah has been eccentric.
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