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The Jazz will have plenty of paths to go down during the 2023 NBA Draft.
They have the No. 9, 16 and 28 selections heading into Thursday's draft. Utah can add a starting-caliber player with its No. 9 selection before adding extra talent later in the draft, or it can trade its lottery pick for a surefire starter before the start of the 2023-24 season.
With four players on player options and four more on non-guaranteed contracts, Utah will have plenty to look out for when rounding out its roster in the draft and beyond. Sexton's $17.33 million cap figure is the largest of the 13 players listed on Spotrac's 2023-24 Salary Cap grid for the Jazz.
Guard Collin Sexton, center Walker Kessler and guard Ochai Agbaji highlight some options under contract for Utah next season. Kessler, the former 22nd pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, averaged 9.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game during the 74 games and 40 starts he suited up for last season.
What are some last-minute predictions for the Jazz with their No. 9 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft?
The Jazz will select Taylor Hendricks with the No. 9 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft
With guards Jordan Clarkson and Talen Horton-Tucker on player options for the 2023-24 season, it may be more beneficial for the Jazz to select a shooting guard with their first selection before moving on to forwards later in the first round. Clarkson and Horton-Tucker's options have a deadline of June 29.
But the 6-foot-9-inch forward's talent and the number of guards who could be available for Utah later in the draft could make him a fantastic selection if he falls to them at No. 9.
Forward Rudy Gay, who signed a two-year contract with the Jazz in 2021, has a player option with a deadline of June 29. Center Damian Jones's player option has a deadline of June 23.
Hendricks, a former 4-star recruit from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., played and started in 34 games for the UCF Knights last season. He earned averages of 15.1 points, seven rebounds and 1.7 blocks per outing during his lone season with UCF. He hit 47.8% of his field goal attempts and 39.4% of his tries from the 3-point line. The American Athletic Conference All-Freshman Team selection scored 17 points, brought down eight rebounds, grabbed two steals and blocked two shots as the Knights defeated the Florida Gators in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.
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Hendricks took pride in his ability to do anything on the floor during a one-on-one interview with the Indiana Pacers earlier this month.
“Just somebody that does anything,” Hendricks said when asked what his pitch would be to teams and what they would get if they drafted him, via The Pacers. “Anything you need him to do. He can fit in any type of lineup. Just the way he's able to play. He's able to set screens, be a lob threat, shoot the 3-ball, defend really well. Really can't go wrong putting him on the floor.”
Orlando Magic president Jeff Weltman said the team had a great visit with Hendricks during the pre-draft process, according to The Rookie Wire Managing Editor Cody Taylor.
“Taylor is a really, really sharp and bright guy who is motivated,” Weltman said, via The Rookie Wire. “We really enjoyed spending time with him and getting to know him better. Obviously, he is on a trajectory that is kind of unique. It's not really to the point of being an outlier but it's kind of interesting to watch his trajectory this year.”
The Jazz had a defensive rating, or “the number of points allowed per 100 possessions by a team,” of 116 during the 2022-23 regular season, according to NBA.com. The figure put them at 23rd in the NBA with spots behind the Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets.
Having an all-around forward who can contribute early for the Jazz could do wonders for a team that can add extra younger options as they enter a new era of Utah basketball. Along with Kessler at the five, he could be a fantastic fit at the forward spots should the Jazz find ways to address their more pressing needs later in the draft, in free agency or with a possible trade.
ESPN's most recent mock draft had the Jazz selecting UCONN guard Jordan Hawkins and Pepperdine forward Maxwell Lewis with their later selections in the 2023 NBA Draft. Yahoo! Sports had Utah taking Baylor guard Keyonte George and New Zealand Breakers guard Rayan Rupert at No. 16 and No. 28, respectively. If they were to take any of them, Utah would be able to walk away with a more complete roster, especially if all four players with player options were to accept them before their deadlines.
