How close are the Utah Jazz making another hopeful push for the playoffs?
The Jazz finished with a record of 37-45 last season, good enough for 12th place in the Western Conference and fourth place in the Northwest Division. Forward Lauri Markkanen and guard Jordan Clarkson led the team in scoring with 25.6 and 20.8 points per game, respectively.
Utah owns several picks in the 2023 NBA Draft. It has the No. 9, the No. 16 and the No. 28 choices. All three first-round picks give the Jazz an excellent chance to shore up the team's bench or find a potential starter for the foreseeable future.
Could Michigan guard Kobe Bufkin be a good fit for the Jazz with the No. 16 pick? And how would he stand out on a Jazz roster that may need a few more pieces to push themselves back into playoff contention?
Depth at the guard spots for the Jazz
If the Jazz take a point guard with their No. 9 selection, they could try to pair the pick with a reliable shooting guard option at No. 16.
Both Clarkson and guard Talen Horton-Tucker will be on player options heading into the 2023-24 season, according to Spotrac. The team will have two point guards, Collin Sexton and Kris Dunn, under contract. Guard Ochai Agbaji, who was included in the Jazz trade that sent guard Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers, played in 59 games and started in 22 for Utah last season.
Bufkin, a former 4-star recruit out of Grand Rapids, Mich., saw a massive leap in his production between his first and second years with the Michigan Wolverines. He played and started in 33 games for Michigan during the 2022-23 season, earning averages of 14 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.
“Kobe's always been a big, large part of our team,” Michigan head coach Juwan Howard said following a 75-73 loss to Indiana in March. “Kobe what he's done from the beginning arriving on campus, he's been great as far as representing the University of Michigan. So proud to have an opportunity to coach him and I will continue to keep growing him as a player.”
If neither Clarkson nor Horton-Tucker pick up their player options, Bufkin could provide a solid depth piece for the Jazz. The 6-foot-4-inch guard could be a potential long-term option at the guard spots should they keep either of the two guards or find a reliable player in free agency as a stopgap shooting guard.
Two-way prowess
If a player like UCF forward Taylor Hendricks falls to the No. 9 selection, Bufkin and Hendricks could provide add extra help on both sides of the ball before the Jazz take a chance on a more boom-or-bust pick later in the first round.
The Ringer Senior Staff Writer Kevin O'Connor highlighted Bufkin's feel for the game, on-ball defense and his ability as a pull-up threat in the Ringer's most recent mock draft. He placed him as high as No. 13 to the Toronto Raptors.
“Blends excellent fundamentals with playmaking skill as a defender,” wrote O'Connor. “He sits in a stance and keeps his arms wide and high when sliding man-to-man, but he also loves to jab at the ball to force turnovers or bother the opponent.
“Hustles with intensity when away from the ball. He helps on drives, flies in to contest at the rim, sprints up the floor for chase-down blocks, and rebounds well for a smaller guy.”
Bufkin could give a boost to a team that ended with a defensive rating of 116, placing them at 23rd in the NBA behind the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards.
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