Ranking Jazz's young talents from least to most likely to build around

1. Taylor Hendricks

Hendricks did not play a ton, but the Jazz took him ninth overall in 2023 for a reason. They believe in his potential and finding a 6’9 forward with his versatility is a massive win for any organization. The 20-year-old must continue to improve, but he has the highest ceiling of any player in Utah’s current core.

His potential was on full display over his final 23 games as a rookie. The Jazz put him in the starting five, and Hendricks responded by averaging 9.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in 26.3 minutes per game, while shooting 47.9 percent from the field and north of 40 percent from 3-point range.

The 20-year-old may never blossom into a star, but he could be a quality role player for the next 15 years. Finding someone with his size capable of spacing the floor and defending multiple positions is not easy. The Jazz should be heavily invested in his development and keep him as a building block for years to come.

The Utah Jazz need more young talent if they plan on turning this roster into a contender. Lauri Markkanen just turned 27 but cannot do this alone. The franchise must find more building blocks to complement him. Taylor Hendricks, Walker Kessler, and Keyonte George are not enough for Utah to blossom into a serious contender, which puts pressure on Danny Ainge and the front office to make something happen.