Now that the dust has settled from a disappointing NBA lottery and the temper tantrums have subsided, it’s clear the [Utah Jazz](https://www.slcdunk.com) tank last season paid off.
By securing the worst record in the league, Utah made sure they got the #5 pick. Unlike the last two seasons, the Jazz are on the inside looking out, not the outside looking in. What do I mean? The last two seasons, the Jazz selected at #9 (2023) and #10 (2024). Each of those drafts, the Jazz tried to trade up in the draft, but were unsuccessful. Now, the Utah Jazz don’t have to get a quality player with star upside. The way this draft is panning out, it feels like a consensus tier of players is forming. Tier 1 is Cooper Flagg, tier 2 is Dylan Harper, and tier 3 looks like a mix of Ace Bailey, VJ Edgecombe, and Tre Johnson. The Jazz have the luxury of being in that tier 3 and can pick whichever of those players they want. And let’s say the Jazz like a player like Kon Knueppel or Khaman Maluach, they can trade back if they want to get them. You can bet there are teams that didn’t tank as well as the Jazz, like the Nets or the Raptors, that might want to trade up for a guy like Tre Johnson.
Now the Jazz are in the driver's seat, the first time they’ve been there since this process started.
That said, there’s no question that winning the lottery and getting the #1 pick was the hope. It would have solidified everything the Jazz are doing quicker by getting their cornerstone star, Cooper Flagg. But even if the Jazz won the lottery, they would still need to be on this same course to build towards an NBA championship. They need to fill in their roster with young, drafted talent that can play both ends of the floor. The goal should be what the Oklahoma City Thunder are doing. Now, the Jazz find themselves in the phase of loading up with talent for when they eventually draft their superstar.
In addition, Utah has the #21 pick from the [Minnesota Timberwolves](https://www.canishoopus.com), which they can use for another piece. There are many long, athletic wings with potential at that spot that Utah can pick from. Utah is adding more talent to the roster as it continues to build. They also get Taylor Hendricks back next season, who will be developing alongside all of their young talent. Utah just has to make sure they time this right to get their star in the draft next season.