Is #2 The Best Spot In This Years Draft?
The Utah Jazz enter the 2026 NBA Draft in an enviable position—and a precarious one. Fresh off Ace Bailey's Rookie of the Year campaign, the franchise holds the No. 2 overall pick after Oklahoma City won the lottery. They also control the eigth selection, giving them two premium opportunities to shape the future around their budding star.
But draft position alone doesn't guarantee success. The Jazz must navigate a minefield of roster construction questions: Do they take the best player available, even if it creates positional redundancy? Or do they prioritize fit, banking on complementary pieces to maximize Bailey's ceiling?
The stakes are high. With Isaiah Collier, Keyonte George, and Anthony Black already occupying guard spots, and Bailey established as the primary wing option, Utah's front office can't afford to misread the room. Here's a breakdown of their three main options at No. 2, and what each selection would mean for the franchise's trajectory.
Darryn Peterson, Kansas
Position: Combo Guard | Age: 19
In a vacuum, Darryn Peterson might be the most purely talented player on Utah's board. The 6-foot-5 combo guard combines explosive athleticism with advanced shot creation, the kind of two-way ceiling that keeps general managers up at night. His competitive fire and defensive potential suggest a player who could anchor a contender's backcourt for a decade.
"Elite talent, terrible fit. Unless you're planning to trade one of your guards, this creates a roster construction nightmare despite Peterson's ceiling."
According to the same source, Peterson is the favored target of the Thunder with their #1 overall pick, making the Peterson discussion more of a moot point for the Jazz.
AJ Dybantsa, BYU
Position: Wing/Forward | Age: 18
If you're a believer in drafting the best player available regardless of fit, AJ Dybantsa is your guy. The generational prospect checks every box: rare combination of size, skill, and athleticism; versatile scoring from all three levels; high basketball IQ; defensive versatility. He projects as a franchise cornerstone, the kind of player teams tank for.
He's also essentially the same player as Ace Bailey, albeit with more athleticism.
This is where draft philosophy meets reality. Yes, you can theoretically play two elite wing scorers together—the NBA has seen it work before. But both Dybantsa and Bailey are primary options by nature, players who need the ball in their hands to unlock their full offensive repertoire. Can you really afford to split development opportunities between two franchise-caliber wings?
"This is the 'best player available' pick, but the Jazz just watched Bailey shoot his way to Rookie of the Year. Can you really afford to have two developing alpha wing prospects?"
Cameron Boozer, Duke
Position: Power Forward | Age: 18
Sometimes the best move isn't the flashiest one. Cameron Boozer won't wow you with Dybantsa's athleticism or Peterson's burst. What he will do is make your team better—immediately and sustainably.
The son of former Jazz forward Carlos Boozer, Cameron represents everything Utah needs right now: a stretch four who can space the floor, a high-IQ passer who doesn't dominate possessions, and a fundamentally sound player who complements rather than competes with Ace Bailey. He's not the highest ceiling prospect in this draft. But in the context of what the Jazz are building, he might be the most valuable.
This is roster construction 101: You already have your cornerstone in Bailey. Now you need players who maximize his effectiveness, not vie for his touches. Boozer fills the Jazz's glaring need at power forward while providing the floor spacing and secondary playmaking that will take pressure off their young star.
"Yes, Dybantsa might be the 'better' player in a vacuum, but Boozer is the player who makes your team better immediately and long-term."
The Verdict?
Here's the uncomfortable truth about the NBA: Raw talent doesn't guarantee success. Roster construction matters as much as individual ability. You can have the three most talented players in a draft class and still build a losing team if they don't fit together.
The Jazz aren't searching for their franchise player—they already found him in Ace Bailey. What they need now is players who complement him, not compete with him. That's where Cameron Boozer separates from the pack.
Yes, AJ Dybantsa has a higher theoretical ceiling. Yes, Darryn Peterson is a more explosive athlete. But neither addresses Utah's actual needs the way Boozer does. The Jazz need floor spacing from the four spot. They need a secondary playmaker who can facilitate without dominating the ball. They need a player who won't create roster logjams or force uncomfortable position changes.
Cameron Boozer checks all those boxes while bringing organizational ties and immediate impact. He won't make highlight reels the way Dybantsa might, but he'll make Bailey better—and that's the entire point of this pick.
The best player available isn't always the best pick. Sometimes it's the player who fits your timeline, your roster, and your organizational identity. For the Utah Jazz in 2026, that player is Cameron Boozer.
Before the Jazz can make a decision that could ultimately make or break the next five years of the franchise, they must await the Oklahoma City Thunder's pick.
They may make the choice simple for the Jazz, or complicate the entire mess. If Dybanasta goes #1, the choice is clear for the Jazz.
But if the BYU product is still there at #2? All bets are off.
Victor Wembanyama | Team Option ($16.87M) | Accepted
PG Trae Young | Player Option ($48.97M) | Declined
PG James Harden | Player Option ($42.32M) | Declined
SG Amen Thompson | Team Option ($12.26M) | Accepted
SG Zach LaVine | Player Option ($48.97M) | Accepted
SF Brandon Miller | Team Option ($15.1M) | Accepted
SG Ausar Thompson | Team Option ($11.12M) | Accepted
C Isaiah Hartenstein | Team Option (28.5M) | Declined
C Alexander Sarr | Team Option ($12.37M) | Accepted
C DeAndre Ayton | Player Option (8.1M) | Declined
PG Lonzo Ball | Team Option ($10M) | Declined