This is the second pick in our Composite Mock Draft; check out the rest of the picks as they are revealed over the coming days leading into the 2025 NBA Draft.
Pick No. 1: The Dallas Mavericks select Cooper Flagg
The Utah Jazz are stuck between two futures. They are a team ready to take a step forward, except their brief stay in the wilderness has not brought them a young superstar to build around. At the same time, the solid veteran players that they do have -- namely Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton and Walker Kessler -- prevent them from bottoming out completely.
They managed their way to the worst record last season, only to fall back to No. 5 and miss out on the two surefire franchise-changing prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Do they trade for win-now players and try to improve? That doesn't seem to be a path that will lead them anywhere. Do they keep everyone and try to be bad once more? That's fine, but it's not a real swing for the fences.
What if the Jazz could land their future centerpiece star right now? There is a path ahead that moves off of Lauri Markkanen to help the Jazz embrace another season of losing ahead of a talent-rish 2026 Draft, while at the same time landing a difference maker in this draft to prepare for a massive leap a year from now.
In our Composite Mock Draft here at Fansided, we are opening the door to this bright new future for the Jazz - and that means we have a trade to announce.
The Spurs pick up a sharpshooting forward to pair with Victor Wembanyama and supercharge the offense. They can trot out a starting lineup of De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, Lauri Markkanen and Victor Wembanyama and still add to their bench depth with the No. 5 and No. 14 picks.
The Jazz, therefore, are now on the clock to pick at No. 2 -- and will, of course, draft Rutgers point guard Dylan Harper.
What Dylan Harper brings the Jazz
Dylan Harper, the son of former NBA champion Ron Harper, is a 6'5" guard with a mammoth 6'11" wingspan. He has all of the on-ball ability you would want for a future All-Star point guard, and he would immediately give Utah a centerpiece prospect to build their team around.
Harper was the one consistent piece on a bad Rutgers team last season, filling up the box score and showing plenty of NBA-level skill with the ball. He is an excellent ball-handler and has great passing vision, and displays good touch and timing as a passer as well. He doesn't have elite burst, so he often prefers a screen to gain separation, but he is smooth with the ball and an excellent finisher at the rim.
The biggest question mark for Harper is his 3-point shot; he hit a solid mark on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers but struggled on pull-up shots. With his size, passing and strength that weakness is mitigated, and he takes his shot with confidence and has upside to improve it.
Defensively, Harper has a massive wingspan and good strength; he is at a minimum a decent defender, and has the upside to be truly disruptive. His effort was inconsistent at Rutgers, but it's hard to evaluate inside of that situation; he has all the tools and pedigree to be great at that end.
Dylan Harper would be the No. 1 prospect in many drafts, and he is an excellent selection at No. 2 for the Utah Jazz.