The Utah Jazz are one of the NBA’s most interesting stories this year, even given the scandals involving Los Angeles Clippers’ owner Steve Ballmer “circumventing” the salary cap to pay Kawhi Leonard, or Chauncey Billups allegedly helping the mafia.

Despite these marks on the league’s integrity, the Jazz’s tanking somehow still makes the headlines in the current NBA media. With the second half of the season taking off, many NBA fans look forward to the race to the playoffs. However, the remaining fans look to what some call the Tankathon.

The Jazz group themselves with an eclectic cast of teams vying for a chance at lottery glory. But why is it important for the Jazz to tank this year, and how did they even get into this situation in the first place? 

The date July 30, 2021, should be taught in universities to warn future general managers of the risk of any trade they make. To re-sign veteran guard Mike Conley to an extension and get under the NBA Luxury Tax, the Jazz traded long-time Jazzman, Derrick Favors, and a future first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder.  

If the Ring of Power was Frodo Baggins’ burden to carry, this trade has been an equal burden to the Jazz. Throughout their years of tanking, the Jazz have needed to stay in the top 10 of the Lottery standings to control said future first-round pick, per the rules of the traded pick.

This year’s pick protections have required the Jazz to go even lower than the tenth spot. If the Jazz fall out of the top eight in the lottery, they will convey a lottery pick in a predicted to be deep draft.

The Thunder have already won the NBA championship. Could you imagine if they got another All-Star talent out of this year’s draft to enhance their dynasty? 

Besides the potential of losing the pick to the Thunder, this year’s draft remains important to the Jazz for another reason — they haven’t had great luck moving up in the draft, historically.

Busts in Draft Luck

In the 2023 Draft, the Utah Jazz fell to the ninth pick in the draft. To add to the pain in the 2024 Draft, they fell to the tenth pick. Some fans had big hopes for the 2025 Draft; the team had the worst record in the league, yet the snake-bitten Jazz managed to find bad luck once again, falling to the fifth pick.

With the advent of trading for powerhouse Jaren Jackson Jr., Lauri Markkanen transforming into an elite talent, and Keyonte George turning into an All-Star, the Jazz have a real chance at creating a contender quickly if they get a little luck in this draft.

Say Ace Bailey doesn’t pan out to be the player the team hopes he can be, or Walker Kessler does end up leaving. Drafting a great player in this upcoming draft could be pivotal in helping the Jazz become competitive again.

The BYU Beast

This upcoming draft class has been rumored to have a prospect pool that rivals the great 2003 draft. So, who would the Jazz be looking to draft if they keep their pick?

With the flattened Lottery odds, the Jazz do have a chance at drafting in the top-four spots of the 2026 draft. If luck goes their way, the Jazz would be looking at two players who are projected to be no-doubt top-three picks.

AJ Dybantsa would be a great addition for the Jazz to come off their bench to start his career. He’s averaging 25.1 points, 1.1 steals, 3.8 assists, and 6.8 rebounds. Stats like that scream potential All-Star, and with the Jazz trying to compete next year, they could use the extra depth on their team to help them achieve a deeper playoff run. 

Dybansta already lives in Utah (as he attends BYU), meaning he lives the culture and knows how Utahns come to support their stars and teams.

Second Coming of Boozer

Another player who’s accustomed to Utah culture and is a high-end draft candidate is Cameron Boozer. His dad, Carlos Boozer, a Jazz legend, currently works in the Jazz’s scouting department in their front office. Boozer (the son) is having a great season at Duke.

He averages 22.7 points, 1.6 steals, 4.0 assists, and 10.1 rebounds. Practically a copy of his dad, Boozer can help kickstart a new competitive era of Jazz basketball, bringing his ability to score and rebound to the team.

Jackson Jr. struggles to bring down rebounds, so a combo of Boozer and Kessler could really help the Jazz on a game-to-game basis. Perhaps the newer Boozer could even lead the Jazz to another Western Conference Finals just like his dad did in 2007.

Houston’s Swiss Army Knife

Realistically, the Jazz, as of right now, are projected to pick Kingston Flemings from the Houston Cougars. The point guard averages 16.6 points, 1.6 steals, 5.1 assists, and 3.8 rebounds.

Flemings’s ability to distribute the ball to his teammates and score in the mid-range is on a whole other level when it comes to point guards in this draft class. On top of that, he’s a decent defender, already tallying 43 steals this college season. Though the Jazz already have a great backup point guard in Isaiah Collier, they could use Flemings’s ability to defend and score to help give the bench an extra punch. 

Kingston Flemings EXPLODED today vs Texas Tech..

42 PTS (15/26 FG, 4/9 3PT, 8/10 FT)
2 REB
6 AST
2 STL

Hold up..this PG1 conversation just got real

Where is he on your draft boards?? pic.twitter.com/1VgvaUFPhI

— Frankie Vision (@Frankie_Vision) January 24, 2026

The Jazz do need another playmaker on their team to distribute the ball to key players like Markkanen and Jackson Jr.

Eyes on the Prize 

Though the media and other fans may contest, the Jazz will do everything to keep their pick from falling into the hands of the Thunder. The question still remains: How will Adam Silver and the NBA to deal with tanking the rest of this year?

The Wizards have defeated the Pacers 112-105. Washington sat starters Kyshawn George and Tre Johnson, who both played in Friday’s Rising Stars exhibition, for the entire fourth quarter tonight. They played approximately 19 minutes apiece.

— Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) February 20, 2026

The Jazz have already been fined $500,000 for tanking measures, and with the media spotlight drawn to the subject, more fines could be on the way. Even with the anti-tanking fines, teams will continue to plunge their season for the chance at either keeping their pick or having a chance at drafting franchise-altering talent. 

So, Jazz fans, for one last stretch of games, don’t be ashamed to let a loss feel like a win.