The Jazz Are Done Tanking: Darryn Peterson, JJJ & A Massive Center Gamble
The Utah Jazz spent last season sleeping with the fishes, finishing 22-60 and tied with the Kings for the worst record in the West. But this summer? Oh, they woke up. And they came swinging.
With the No. 2 pick in the draft — tied for the highest selection in franchise history — Utah grabbed Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, a potential franchise cornerstone. Then they played the Lakers like a fiddle in a sign-and-trade, shipping out center Walker Kessler for two unprotected first-round picks (2031, 2033) and two pick swaps (2028, 2030). Toss in the already-acquired Jaren Jackson Jr. from the deadline, and you've got a rebuild that went from crawling to sprinting in a hurry.
ESPN's insiders are rolling out 30 team previews, and Jazz fans should be locked in. Let's break down what happened, what's next, and the giant hole in the middle of the roster.
Offseason At A Glance
Key additions: G Darryn Peterson, C Jaxson Hayes, G Josh Okogie
Key retentions: C Jusuf Nurkic
Key subtractions: C Walker Kessler
The Jazz finally caught a break in the lottery and landed Peterson, a gifted guard with genuine face-of-the-franchise upside. But the plan of pairing him with Kessler as the long-term center? Gone. Utah let Kessler walk in restricted free agency, pocketing a serious haul of future assets after his four-year, $130 million deal exceeded their comfort zone.
Tim MacMahon notes that the return was widely considered great value, but the frontcourt now looks shaky next to Jackson and Lauri Markkanen. The center position? A glaring question mark.
Zach Kram's offseason grade: A. Losing Kessler makes Utah less compelling as a dark-horse contender, but getting two unprotected firsts and two swaps for a good-not-great center is an absolute heist. You can't hate on the Jazz for taking a temporary step back when the Lakers were tossing that much future value their way.
What We Learned: Peterson Isn't Ready To Run The Point
Ben Golliver's summer league takeaway is clear: Peterson has big dreams of being a point guard, but he's not there yet. The Jazz should keep Keyonte George heavily involved in running the offense. George is just 22, has three years in the league, and put up 23.6 points and 6.1 assists per game last season. His scoring and playmaking will take the pressure off the rookie.
Peterson needs to focus on shot creation and off-the-dribble attacks while he adjusts to the NBA's speed. Golliver notes that Utah's offense was elite back in 2021-22, then cratered after trading Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. Peterson could develop into a better scorer than Mitchell someday, but he needs to drastically improve his decision-making first. For now, George keeps the keys.
The Big Question: Who Plays Center?
Welcome to the Nurkic-Hayes era. No, seriously — that's the plan. The Jazz re-signed Nurkic to a two-year, $22 million deal after he averaged 10.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists last season. Solid numbers, but he was supposed to be a high-caliber backup, not the starter.
Jaxson Hayes is the other option, and neither guy is a top-level starting center. Coach Will Hardy may need to lean on Jackson at the five in small-ball lineups. The long-term solution at center will likely come via trade, using some of that Laker loot to find a real replacement.
BPI Says No. 23 — But That Might Be Fine
The Basketball Power Index isn't high on Utah, ranking them 23rd. The Jazz allowed the highest shot quality to opponents over the last three years, at 55.7%. That's what happens when you tank, folks. Now that they're presumably not tanking, motivation alone should help, but old habits die hard. Dean Oliver wonders if this team can unlearn the bad defensive habits built during the losing years. Interesting experiment.
X Factor: Ace Bailey
Don't forget about Ace Bailey. The fifth overall pick last year had a solid, understated rookie season: 13.8 PPG on below-average but not disastrous efficiency. He just turned 20, and he logged 27.6 minutes per game last season. With all the shiny new toys in town, Bailey could get lost in the shuffle. If he harnesses his potential, the Jazz get even more dangerous. If not, his development minutes could dry up on a team actually trying to win.
Fantasy Pick To Watch: Isaiah Collier
Isaiah Collier quietly put up 7.2 assists in just 25 MPG last season — that's eighth in the entire league. He produced 33.0 fantasy points per game after the All-Star break. If he opens as the backup point guard, he's a steal in deeper leagues. His shooting will determine whether he becomes a legit sixth man or just a guy with a shaky jumper.
Bottom line: The Jazz aren't a contender yet, but the rebuild appears to be over. With Peterson, George, Markkanen, Jackson, and a treasure chest of future picks, Utah is suddenly the most interesting team in the Mountain Time Zone. Buckle up.