The Utah Jazz enter their third year of a complete rebuild and are looking for young talent to join them add to their core. Lauri Markkanen became an All-Star with the franchise. His star turn kept Utah from bottoming out and left them without that first-round draft pick to be their centerpiece.
Jazz CEO Danny Ainge helped Building the Celtics’ Championship RosterHe selected Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown before being traded for Brad Stevens in 2021. Ainge knows how to build a contender, but needs more time in Salt Lake City. Fans should have faith, and things could improve quickly.
The Jazz are expected to select the 10th, 29th, and 32nd players in the 2024 NBA Draft. This class lacks top-tier talent but has depth. Utah’s lottery pick just got a lot more interesting as one of the most talented players in this class got some bad news that will force him down.
The 6-foot-6 point guard was a projected top-five pick before suffering multiple knee injuries this season. He currently has a Partially torn ACL and could miss his entire rookie season due to surgery. It’s not an ideal start to his NBA career, but Topic has the potential to be the best player in this class.
The 18-year-old has averaged 14.5 points, 5.5 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 0.9 steals in 27.8 minutes per game as a professional in Europe. He has made 49.8 percent of his shots but only 30.6 percent of his three-pointers in his 23 games this season.
Topic is arguably the best passer and playmaker in this class. He could form a dynamic pick-and-roll duo with any big, and Utah offers two radically different options to choose from in Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler. Many believe his jump shot will become an additional weapon. Topic could be an elite offensive creator, and his size gives him defensive potential.
There are still questions about his overall game. Can Topic improve his jump shot? Is he able to fully focus on his defense? It makes sense to take a chance, especially for a team in the midst of a rebuild. The Jazz should be willing to wait a full year, but the reward could be the best player in this draft.
The Jazz need a point guard who can run their offense and create openings. Topic won’t have a chance to blossom right away, but he can still make an impact. This combination makes perfect sense, but no one has seen his value diminish. ESPN he made him finish tenth in the general classification (subscription required), despite missing a full year in their mock draft released a week before draft night.
The Utah Jazz can’t pass up the opportunity to add a top talent. Nikola Topic has proven he can play professional basketball and will continue to improve. The Jazz need a top-tier point guard and shot creator for now and into the future. This is a perfect fit, assuming the 18-year-old point guard is still on the board at the June 26 draft.
