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Jazz prioritize quality over quantity in draft

Photo: The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah Jazz General Manager Justin Zanik joined the team’s broadcast during their game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, which ended in a loss.

During his appearance, Zanik touched on several topics, including the recently finalized draft-pick trade between the Jazz and the Phoenix Suns.

Zanik broke down the reasoning behind the trade, explaining that Utah aimed to secure a pick with significant upside potential.

To accomplish this, the team traded three first-round picks with less favorable conditions in exchange for a single unprotected pick that holds more promise.

“The way it makes sense for us is that we now have another shot at a pick that has a lot of variability. The three picks we traded have no chance to be the No. 1 pick, and this one does,” Zanik explained.

“It balances out what we want, but we’ve always talked about bites at the apple or more swings in the draft. But it also is about the quality of the swings, and this is, in my opinion, the most valuable asset on the market right now.”

In the deal, the Jazz gave up the least favorable first-round picks among their own, the Cleveland Cavaliers’, and the Minnesota Timberwolves’ in 2025, 2027, and 2029.

In return, they acquired the Suns’ unprotected first-round pick for 2031.

Zanik’s comments highlight the Jazz’s strategy of prioritizing long-term flexibility and high-upside opportunities in the draft, even if it means giving up multiple picks with more predictable outcomes.

The move demonstrates the team’s focus on maximizing their chances of landing a high-impact player in the future.

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