As the 2025 NBA Draft approaches, all eyes are on Duke's Cooper Flagg and which team will earn the opportunity to select him. He's the consensus best prospect in this upcoming class, but only one team will have the chance to land him.
Could it be the Utah Jazz?
At 15-47, the Utah Jazz are third in the reverse standings. That's a great place to be, especially considering it's very unlikely they drop more than one spot, while there's still a shot at having the worst record in the league when it's all said and done.
If Utah finishes where it is now at third-worst in the NBA, that would net the Jazz a 14% shot at the top pick, which is the highest any team can get. Furthermore, the lowest pick they could land would be No. 7.
That's a great range, but the hope is that the top pick ends up going to Utah. That may also be the best possible scenario for Flagg, too, given he would join a team ready to take the leap during his rookie season. There's a real chance that it will happen, but the Jazz would need to jump the Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards.
Tankathon Tankathon
The reason Utah would be an ideal place for Flagg is the seamless fit he would have. The Jazz already have a plethora of extremely talented guards to man the backcourt, along with an All-Star level frontcourt piece in Lauri Markkanen.
Flagg slotting into the rotation with his ability to play on the wing, as a traditional forward, or even a small-ball center would allow him to thrive. The Jazz have the offensive talent to develop into a high-scoring team as early as next year. Where they've really struggled is on defense, where Flagg thrives.
Not only could Flagg take over as the face of the franchise, but he could elevate the Utah defense and help this team take the leap. If any team is going to emerge as a postseason squad among the bottom three teams in the reverse standings, it's the Jazz. This would be a great situation for Flagg, who, like most top picks, will want to compete as quickly as possible.
Both for the Utah Jazz and for Cooper Flagg, this could be a match made in heaven.
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This story was originally published March 7, 2025 at 5:19 PM.