The Jazz are in an enviable position, with the second pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, which is considered to have three very high-level prospects at the top. That still leaves them with a difficult choice to make, however, and it’s one they have yet to come to a decision on, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic, who writes that Utah is “genuinely torn” on their preference between AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer.
Each of the three prospects offers an appealing skill set for the Jazz. Dybantsa has great size for a wing while showing off a high-level scoring package and funky footwork that makes him a handful to guard. Boozer has an intriguing mix of bully-ball offense alongside impressive passing instincts and the ability to space the floor at a good level for his position. Peterson is one of the more electric scoring guards that has come out of the draft in recent years, with the ability to get and stay red-hot from deep.
Because both Dybantsa and Boozer would require some creativity with the starting lineup, Peterson stands out as the best fit on the roster, Sam Foster writes for the Salt Lake Tribune. Jones notes that, given the less-than-ideal fit of Boozer with Utah’s big men, his being in the mix still stands as a testament to how impressive the Jazz find him.
The Jazz were not caught by surprise by the report that Peterson, the electric guard from Kansas, will not work out for them, nor will they be deterred from selecting him because of it, Jones writes, as they weren’t when last year’s wing Ace Bailey did something similar.
However, they have to be sure that Peterson would buy in if they went ahead and selected him, as they can’t afford to make a mistake with this pick, Gordon Monson writes for the Tribune. In the end, some of this will come down to a decision out of their hands: who the Wizards take at one. While Boozer certainly appears to still be in the mix for pick No. 2, whichever of Peterson and Dybantsa is still on the board when it’s Utah’s time to pick will likely have pole position.
There’s also the possibility of the Jazz trading up to one to land Dybantsa, though that is considered an unlikely outcome at this time. The time Dybantsa spent at BYU for college has endeared him to the fanbase, and could make him a rare instance of a superstar who wants to come to Utah, Dave McCann writes for the Deseret News. If the Jazz organization believes that Peterson is genuine in his desire not to go there, and that Dybantsa does want to play for them, paying a hefty price in a trade-up could be an idea worth revisiting.