Jazz are in a sucky draft pick scenario in 2026

[Fido]

According to the outstanding NBA trades page:

2026 1st round pick
Utah's 1st round pick will go to OKC if it is 9-30. The Jazz keep the highest of their own pick (provided it is 1-8), Minnesota's 1st round pick, and Cleveland's 1st round pick.

2026 2nd round pick
Utah's 2nd round pick is going to the Spurs if 31-55 or to the Bucks if 56-60.

No other picks are incoming for the Jazz in 2026.

[Inigo Montoya]

It's not such a bad situation. If the Jazz tank next season, as they have shown they are capable of doing very well, they could be looking at another top-5 pick and that draft is supposed to be loaded at the top.

They also get the better FRP of Minnesota and Cleveland. Not such a bad place in terms of draft positioning.

[Fido]

So this year the Raptors have the 9th spot with 30 wins. But the NBA punishes tanking like the Jazz did at 17 wins. So I don't know what gets you clearly in the top 8 spots without having another solid shot at the 5th pick.

[Fido]

It's not such a bad situation. If the Jazz tank next season, as they have shown they are capable of doing very well, they could be looking at another top-5 pick and that draft is supposed to be loaded at the top.

They also get the better FRP of Minnesota and Cleveland. Not such a bad place in terms of draft positioning.

If they lose their own FRP next year and get the best of MIN/CLE, the pick (assuming it is like this year) would be #21.

[Inigo Montoya]

It's not such a bad situation. If the Jazz tank next season, as they have shown they are capable of doing very well, they could be looking at another top-5 pick and that draft is supposed to be loaded at the top.

They also get the better FRP of Minnesota and Cleveland. Not such a bad place in terms of draft positioning.

If they lose their own FRP next year and get the best of MIN/CLE, the pick (assuming it is like this year) would be #21.

All they need to do is tank properly and it won't happen.

[bkohler]

I don't disagree that it's sucky... but it's also not new. It's been the same situation for the past couple of years.

[babyjax13]

It's not such a bad situation. If the Jazz tank next season, as they have shown they are capable of doing very well, they could be looking at another top-5 pick and that draft is supposed to be loaded at the top.

They also get the better FRP of Minnesota and Cleveland. Not such a bad place in terms of draft positioning.

We don't get the better of MIN/CLE, we just have the option to swap our pick with either MIN/CLE if their pick is better.

[Inigo Montoya]

It's not such a bad situation. If the Jazz tank next season, as they have shown they are capable of doing very well, they could be looking at another top-5 pick and that draft is supposed to be loaded at the top.

They also get the better FRP of Minnesota and Cleveland. Not such a bad place in terms of draft positioning.

We don't get the better of MIN/CLE, we just have the option to swap our pick with either MIN/CLE if their pick is better.

Oh. Well, the pick that is supposed to really matter is the one the Jazz can control by tanking so as long as they do it right it should be fine. Other scenarios can indeed suck.

[AingesBurner]

I would almost call Phoenix or Boston and see what they want for Brown or Booker.

[babyjax13]

It's not such a bad situation. If the Jazz tank next season, as they have shown they are capable of doing very well, they could be looking at another top-5 pick and that draft is supposed to be loaded at the top.

They also get the better FRP of Minnesota and Cleveland. Not such a bad place in terms of draft positioning.

We don't get the better of MIN/CLE, we just have the option to swap our pick with either MIN/CLE if their pick is better.

Oh. Well, the pick that is supposed to really matter is the one the Jazz can control by tanking so as long as they do it right it should be fine. Other scenarios can indeed suck.

Agreed. I think it only "sucks" because we are used to multiple firsts. I am hoping we trade Lauri to Sacramento and get their 2026 1st, though. With Dallas, the Lakers, and San Antonio all improving I think they could improve pretty substantially and still miss the playoffs.

[Catchall]

I would give the league the middle finger, tank all the way to the bottom and draft 5th again next year. I'm liking what I've seen of Chris Cenac.

[BigJimFinn]

We don't get the better of MIN/CLE, we just have the option to swap our pick with either MIN/CLE if their pick is better.

Oh. Well, the pick that is supposed to really matter is the one the Jazz can control by tanking so as long as they do it right it should be fine. Other scenarios can indeed suck.

Agreed. I think it only "sucks" because we are used to multiple firsts. I am hoping we trade Lauri to Sacramento and get their 2026 1st, though. With Dallas, the Lakers, and San Antonio all improving I think they could improve pretty substantially and still miss the playoffs.

The time is now to trade Lauri for any sensible haul, but if you force him to rejoin Zach LaVine and Demar DeRozan in Kangzland, the bad karma will keep you from ever picking above #5.

[dr0welf]

It's not such a bad situation. If the Jazz tank next season, as they have shown they are capable of doing very well, they could be looking at another top-5 pick and that draft is supposed to be loaded at the top.

They also get the better FRP of Minnesota and Cleveland. Not such a bad place in terms of draft positioning.

We don't get the better of MIN/CLE, we just have the option to swap our pick with either MIN/CLE if their pick is better.

If we don't keep our pick but pick up another pick in a trade, does the option to swap count with our new acquired pick?

[babyjax13]

It's not such a bad situation. If the Jazz tank next season, as they have shown they are capable of doing very well, they could be looking at another top-5 pick and that draft is supposed to be loaded at the top.

They also get the better FRP of Minnesota and Cleveland. Not such a bad place in terms of draft positioning.

We don't get the better of MIN/CLE, we just have the option to swap our pick with either MIN/CLE if their pick is better.

If we don't keep our pick but pick up another pick in a trade, does the option to swap count with our new acquired pick?

No, the swap is agreed to in the initial trade, only a follow up with the team that owns the other end of the swap can change it.

[Daddy 801]

We tank. That was always the plan. Before the start of this/last season we all knew it was the plan. We will once again be in the top 5 or maybe top 6 or 7 if we don’t tank right.

I’m all for trading Lauri now. We have to solidify the tank. The one thing I haven’t liked about Ainge is the lack of tanking hard enough and fast enough. If the Jazz went and acquired a half way decent player to pair with Lauri it would be the worst case scenario. We want the Jazz top 1-3 worst teams in the league. But really we should be the worst team again.

Trade Lauri, Clarkson, Collins, and Sexton for whatever assets we can get at the draft. Full tank-a-thon here we come.

Trading Lauri for a pick that has the potential of being a lottery pick next year would be ideal.

[AingesBurner]

We tank. That was always the plan. Before the start of this/last season we all knew it was the plan. We will once again be in the top 5 or maybe top 6 or 7 if we don’t tank right.

I’m all for trading Lauri now. We have to solidify the tank. The one thing I haven’t liked about Ainge is the lack of tanking hard enough and fast enough. If the Jazz went and acquired a half way decent player to pair with Lauri it would be the worst case scenario. We want the Jazz top 1-3 worst teams in the league. But really we should be the worst team again.

Trade Lauri, Clarkson, Collins, and Sexton for whatever assets we can get at the draft. Full tank-a-thon here we come.

Trading Lauri for a pick that has the potential of being a lottery pick next year would be ideal.

Yep. It’s the only path. I’m on the Demin train.

[Gert42]

I would also say there is almost now way as of right now we aren't not the worst team in the West, so I think there is a good chance 8 stays fairly safe. Although we someone moved from 8-10 last year....

[FarBeyondDriven]

I think you should trade Markkanen to the Bucks for Lillard and an unprotected 2031 1st. This would make tanking so much easier, you'd get out from under Markkanen's deal, you'd then have an expiring Lillard next year you could move for players/picks. It's imperative that you get a top 8 pick in a loaded draft and this would ensure it

[bkohler]

I think you should trade Markkanen to the Bucks for Lillard and an unprotected 2031 1st. This would make tanking so much easier, you'd get out from under Markkanen's deal, you'd then have an expiring Lillard next year you could move for players/picks. It's imperative that you get a top 8 pick in a loaded draft and this would ensure it

I agree with the sentiment but think Markkanen is more valuable than a 1st and really bad salary. I’d instead try and use sexton, Collins and clarkson.

[SoCalJazzFan]

I think that this trade make sense for all teams and I haven't seen a better trade scenario than this yet for these players-

UTA- Dame, Hauser, BOS 2025 (Edit #32), BOS 2026 FRP, MIL 2031 FRP
(we eat a ton of salary- but that is a good thing for the tank next season, and get additional draft capital to potentially move up from #21 this draft, have two bites at the apple or move up in 2026, and what should be a very valuable pick in 2031)

BOS- Sexton, John Collins, Svi, Springer
(saves them $150M in salary and taxes and pulls them below the 2nd Apron, and they are probably still a playoff team next season)

MIL- Jrue and Prozingis
(MIL can keep Giannis and give him a chance to make something happen in the East next year).