Utah Jazz draft talk with Krysten Peek from Yahoo Sports

Utah Jazz draft talk with Krysten Peek from Yahoo Sports

all right welcome back to the to the Hoops nerd podcast today I’m really excited about our Our Guest today we have Kristen Peak from Yahoo sports you also work for Rivals and talk about uh High School prospects I’m excited to ask you some questions about this Draft today Kristen and also next year’s draft but first thank you for coming on the show yeah happy to join you I mean like this is the best time of the year for me some people say it’s because of the NBA Finals but for me it’s draft season I spent this entire year many years prior to this covering these players so I’m happy to get into it well thank you for coming on so I I I’m excited to have you on because this is just you know more than anybody so anyways I wanted to ask you about your most recent mock draft a few things you put in there that I thought were really interesting a couple weeks ago you had talked about the Utah Jazz being interested in working out Brony James and now in your most recent article it sounds like and we’ve heard all the reports bronnie is only going to work out for for the Lakers and the Suns I mean is there a world where maybe the Jazz Force the Lakers to trade for because the Jazz have like an early second round pick I can’t remember where the Lakers pick is in the second round it’s 55 and they also have the 17th pick could they take bronny at 17 or is that too high they I feel like if the Lakers took bronny James at 17 and you see who else is left on the table they would get you know just kind their their fans would would just be throwing up their hands just in like what are we doing you know because uh bronnie James has proved himself to be a prospect in this draft class he’s not a first round talent I don’t think he’s there yet I think he still has a lot to go I think we don’t talk about enough about his return to the court from having you know cardiac arrests going through heart surgery and then returning to the court four months later like that is incredible so to even in this position to be drafted anywhere in the NBA is just incredibly insane and just props to him for just sticking with it and getting back on the court because he showed his true potential at the combine and I think he is there is value in him in a second round pick now the the Jazz with the 32 pick that was a real thing like they they express interest into bringing him in they are they were very interested 32 I think where things have changed is with Rich Paul coming out and saying we’re not taking a two-way we want guaranteed money we’re only gonna work out for the Suns or the jet or sorry Suns or the Lakers and so you know the the Jazz could go to his prod day they could talk to him maybe at the combine if they scheduled a meeting but I think it was more so Danny a just saying we’re we show we’re showing interest we think he’s valuable asset to a rebuild he’s not a finished product right now and he’s someone that we would be interested longterm in our program and when you have someone like Rich Paul in clutch who is a massive organization you cannot discredit what he’s saying and he’s basically like threatening the rest of the teams like you guys you guys can pick him but we have this guy this guy this guy this guy this guy so if you want to do business with us in the future and our future picks step back let the Lakers take him and so you’re going to see a lot of movement in mocks moving up and down the board between now and the draft at the end of this month the only player that will not change is bronny James at 55 to the Lakers it’s pretty much in my mind a done deal so yeah the Utah Jazz just released their new brand so I guess Rich Paul’s not interested in Mountain basketball I guess well no he has two players on the team so oh that’s true it’s and yeah okay so maybe who knows but uh yeah we’ll see I was just curious about that because I thought man I guess I you know and you’re right Danny does call every team and we hear rumors all the time from the Jazz and I think it’s just you know like you said I think Danny’s just doing due diligence well another interesting thing from your mock is you have Zachary Reet now at number one where a lot of people have had Alex SAR at the top what made you do that what was what was your thinking there Rish has been absolutely incredible in the playoff run with JL and borgan breast and what and we we saw kind of the same a similar rise with bala kulali last year just in terms of that extra time that NBA teams are getting to evaluate him in in very competitive five- on five action and at the highest level of the game in the lmb proa league in France he is delivering over and over again against you know top teams and he’s not backing away and he’s showing different tricks other than just his catch and shoot three-point shot which is what he’s been known for and the meteor a the as much as he’s improved from last year to this year I mean it just screams upside to his NBA potential I mean he was a completely different player a year ago at Nike hoop Summit he barely played in the game he barely got any minutes and so to see the vast Improvement he’s made not only offensively but defensively he’s usually being tasked to guard their best player on the court whether that’s a point guard or whether that’s a four he usually stays off the block but at 69ine being able to guard the backport in the perimeter as well as he has I mean his all-around game is is just incredible and we cannot discredit the wimy wave coming I mean Victor win Bama and balal have been so good this first year in the NBA and you look at the international talent that is already produced at such a high level here in the NBA so you’re looking at R sha you’re looking at ton Salon you’re looking at Alex SAR and it it’s just more you feel more comfortable drafting a European product that has grown up the way that these players have because it looks like their game is translating a little bit better to the NBA uh yeah you know I completely agree and I you mentioned to Johan Salon I was thinking he might be there for the Jazz but you have him at five and so it just keeps I mean the Jazz not only they go from eight to 10 in the lottery just all these good players just keep kind of falling out of the range a player I wanted to ask you about that I personally think has a chance to be amazing and you mentioned him here with potential Superstar as Stefan castle at number three I I don’t know what you think when I watch him it makes me think a little bit of kind of a Drew holiday a little bit where he’s like a guard that can handle and defend um if the Jazz wanted to throw an offer at Houston is that a player worth going up to try to get absolutely I have been I I think I’m higher on Steph castle for a reason I mean I’ve seen how he’s progressed how his game has progressed from high school to college we cannot discredit what he did in the final four he was by far the best prospect on the court in that Alabama game where natos was like okay freshman who doesn’t have a good shooting percentage if anybody’s gonna beat us on the court it’s going to be you and Stefon Castle was like okay here’s two really long threes to start the first half and I’m gonna finish with 21 and we’re GNA then follow up our championship game I’m gonna have 15 and and just be a menace complete Menace on defense so I think in those two games alone you see his upside as a two-way player and as a ball handler as well I mean he was asked to do a different role at Yukon but what we’ve seen historically from him is more of a of a playmaker more of a ball handler so I think he has that sort of potential to be the lead guard in the NBA he’s absolutely a player that the ja should be targeting I just don’t know if they have enough in what they would have to give up to move up to three or four where he might be yeah I mean and and it just seems to me like that would be such I mean we saw some great things from konay George this year and it does seem like a player that could play next to and I know he had we had seen reports that he says he’s a point guard could he play next to another playmaking guard like like a Keon George and be happy I think so I mean we saw it with Yukon he had to play with Tristan Newton and and cam and and he made it work like did was it fluid the entire season no he came off an injury he had to figure out the pace of the college game he had to figure out the timing but he was coached very very hard again or under Dan Hurley and as a freshman he had a lot of pressure on him and he rose to the occasion and so coming into his rookie year probably being drafted to a team that’s still in rebuild mode that still needs you know that player that’s going to get a ton of reps right away and be asked to deliver at a high level I think he’s going to be able to perform and and I I definitely think you know looking back a half a season ago in December we weren’t talking about Steph Castle as a top five player but just with his progression and the way his game is grown I mean and and the way the how well he shot the ball at the combine was also a credit to his hard work and his upside about how serious he is at the NBA level and what he could you know once he hits the league I I really like him um I honestly I would there would there’d be a lot I’d do if I was a jazz all right so you have uh Rob Dillingham to Utah at 10 what was your thinking there because you have Cody Williams going 12 he’s one that I’m kind of looking at but what was your thinking with uh with let’s see Rob Dillingham at at 10 for the Jazz with Rob I mean I’ve said this before I think it was a very telling thing you know Danny a just doesn’t say things on accident just to say things and in the postseason exit interview when somebody asked about Keon George as the primary lead guard for the Jazz organization he said he doesn’t see him as the franchise point guard he sees him more as the secondary supporting guard which is great because he can slide in to either spot comfortably in the back court so him saying that I mean they might be targeting a primary guard in in this top 10 now that they have 10 I think Rob is a killer of a player like he is a scoring machine he’s a great passer is he undersized yes he measured in at 61 and a half and 164 pounds at the combine not great he didn’t go through agility didn’t go through shooting didn’t go through his po pro day siding his sore ankle I know he’s limiting his workouts I don’t know if he’s worked out for the Jazz but he is a player that could be there at 10 and where you’re looking at his upside with his shot cre and the way he can create for others if you are looking to take a swing on a guard in a rebuild process that you know Jazz fans in the front office might be patient for another two years with what’s coming up with Cooper flag Ace Bailey Dylan Harper Nolan tayori next year AJ deons the following Year Cameron booer the following year I think he is a player that you can take a gamble on that’s well I you just mentioned Cooper flag and that is my favorite thing to talk about uh I want to ask so Utah is not likely going to be uh competing for the Playoffs next year I mean maybe they have something crazy this offseason but and it’s looking like it’s very likely that that Larry marinin will be on the Jazz next year but even with Lowry Markin and on the Jazz you know the Spurs are going to be better with wanyama um I don’t even know if you I mean scoot Henderson is looking better and better for Portland I’m not sure Utah’s even going to be better than Portland if Utah ends and the top five let’s say they end up with the fifth pick are they still going to be potentially getting a star in next year’s draft if they miss out on like Cooper flag and Ace Bailey I don’t know if it’s a star but you’re trending in the right direction I think next year especially if we’re looking at the way the oneandone talent is going to be trending up and up and up you know I my favorite top three it goes in this order Cooper flag Ace Bailey Nolan tayori then you got VJ Edgecomb and Dylan Harper that those are like my five favorite players in the next year’s draft depending on if they can compete at the same level that they did at in high school so those aren’t bad options for any team and so contrary to what we saw this year and what we saw the follow or the previous year where there were multiple teams trying to strategically put themselves in a favorable position to land Victor wh minyama to maybe get a shot at Brandon Miller or scoot Henderson I think we’re going to see that again next year and the year following just with how strong and and just the star power projected at the top of the next two drafts uh and speaking of Cooper flag and you know Jazz fans right now are they’re kind of in two camps they’re either let’s trade for a guy now and be good now or let’s be bad and just go for Cooper flag and and I’m personally in the Cooper flag I I’m I’m calling it Capture the Flag next year I would really like to go for Cooper flag can you sell to Jazz fans why it might be worth it to go for Cooper flag and kind of what you see him as being in the NBA it’s so interesting because even if you decide as a fan base or organization that you want to you know I I hate saying tank we’re very we’re very the NBA no in a in a favorable position if you strategically want to be put in a favorable spot to possibly land Cooper flag uh the consolation prizes aren’t terrible so even if you turn into the Detroit Pistons where you have the worst record in the NBA for three straight years then you fall short of Landing the number one pick all three years the consolation prizes are still I think outweigh what you can get on the market in terms of like star power or upside from different prospects now I don’t know how patient the organization wants to be I don’t know how patient Jazz fans want to be but what I know from outing and from covering the the next two draft classes is it’s going to be worth it I don’t care where you are on the top five it’s G to be worth it and it’s going to change the franchise especially if you continue to grow and develop the young core that you already have with the Jazz you just need that extra you need that X Factor you need that piece to kind of solidify everything and I think there are plenty of options you know projected at the top of the next couple drafts that are very very enticing to a number of teams I do you have any idea what the Jazz think of those guys Cooper flag Ace Bailey everyone loves them there’s a reason why there’s a reason why that there were more people there were more Scouts and Executives excited to be at Nike hoop Summit than at the final four because of the talent that was on the court so it doesn’t matter if you are the Golden State Warriors or if you’re the Detroit Pistons or the Utah Jazz everybody is excited about the talent coming up and it we you just got to see how their game progresses and how it translates from high school to College college to Pro potential yeah and sorry it’s becoming a Cooper flag podcast a little bit but when is he a player because we’re looking at like you know the Boston Celtics and the the Mavericks are playing tonight and they both have that kind of on ball superstar player and then you’ve got players like yic and Anthony Edwards you kind of need that guy that can handle the ball and just run the offense and and be a star in the moments you need him to be a star can you run an offense through Cooper flag or is he more kind of off the ball I know he’s a defensive he’s just awesome defensively but could you run the offense through him a little bit I think so I mean we saw a mountd arguably one of the best high school teams ever in high school history they went undefeated they won nationals and the amount of talent that they had on that team obviously Cooper was the first option but he’s so unself selfish and he’s such a great passer and He commands so much space just in who he is as a player I mean that opens up the floor for everybody else so just him being such a smart player and recognizing those facets of the game I think makes them kind of interchangeable with a lot of different systems and a lot of different teams in the NBA especially when you extend the floor and the spacing and the pace like he runs the floor very well like I said he’s a very I think one of the most underrated part of his game is his passing defensively he’s one of the best shot blockers in the country regardless of class I think he’s going to be one of the best shot blockers and rim protectors in college basketball next year we’re gonna see a similar offense that we saw with Kyle filipowski with John Shire running a lot of options through him trying to get mismatches trying to get him solidified in the pick and roll and pick and pop and just trying to be smart against the competition and really play to his strengths as you know what he is as a hybrid Wing slash4 yeah and I I think the big ticket next year is going to be Duke and Rutters when they play hopefully they play at some point because Bailey and and Harper and and I guess just one last question I want don’t want to keep you too long have you seen uh Cayman malow watch is that how you say it come on come on is that how you say it yeah he was at he was at hoop Summit he’s still kind of a raw Prospect kind of a work in progress he was also at the uh g-league winner showc case playing for the NBA Academy for Africa there was awesome really showed growth and depth to his game you know you saw a little kind of juvenile Tendencies during Nike hoop Summit that’ll need to be cleaned up in his one year at Duke but I told Cooper this I said I don’t know if you’ve seen him play it at all but you are going to be very happy that he’s going to be bringing some added Rim protection and kind of alleviate you know the assignments that you’re going to have defensively next year especially coming in as a fresh and being expected to play against guys now that are fifth year seniors in the ACC and Beyond so uh I think the two of them are going to be tremendous in the front court and like I said like Kanan is still a little bit of a raw product but it’s going to be very very fun to watch that Duke team next year well thank you so much Kristen that was a lot of fun I was excited to ask you about C flag I really wanted to but anyways I appreciate it everyone go to um read Kristen um she does a great job her most recent uh uh what’s it called mock draft is up there and I’ll link to it in the SLC dunk so thanks a lot Kristen I appreciate it thanks for having me happy to come on anytime

Krysten Peek was kind enough to join me and talk about the upcoming 2024 NBA draft. We went over the different prospects, including Alex Sarr, Zaccharie Risacher, and Stephon Castle. In Peek’s latest mock draft she has the Jazz taking Rob Dillingham.

We then talked about Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey and the 2025 NBA draft as well. Is it worth tanking for Cooper Flagg? What happens if the Jazz don’t get the #1 pick? Is it still worth going after Flagg? It sounds like there’s so much talent it’s absolutely possible.

We also talked about LeBron James’ son Bronny James and the possibility of him going to the Lakers. Were the Jazz interested in working out Bronny James?

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