Jazz Tanking 2022-23 Season Worth a Shot at This Coveted NBA Draft Prospect
The NBA has a system in place that deters franchises from going full tank mode. If the Utah Jazz are intent on blowing this roster up and tanking, even the worst record in the league will only have a 14.5% chance of receiving the No. 1 overall draft pick.
This has helped keep the NBA competitive. But it’s not going to matter in 2022-23.
Victor Wembanyama will be the No. 1 pick taken in the 2023 NBA draft, and if tanking gives a franchise an edge by even a razor thin margin, then integrity will be thrown out the window.
There have been some hyped-up prospects heading into the NBA draft over the decades. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tim Duncan, Yao Ming, and Hakeem Olajuwon come to mind. Perhaps no prospect received more pre-draft hype than LeBron James, whose high school basketball games were televised live on ESPN during prime time.
Wembanyama is going to give James a run for his money.
So what’s all the fuss about?
The 7-foot-3 Frenchman has been compared to Kevin Durant, except he’s four inches taller with a four-inch longer wingspan. Wembanyama has the same measurements as Rudy Gobert, but the ball handling skills and a shooting touch of an NBA guard.
Wembanyama runs the floor, shoots the three, can dribble-drive, leads fast breaks, and gives you elite rim protection all while being just 18 years of age. He’s just scratching the surface.
Watching a highlight reel of him is jaw dropping.
If the Jazz trade Donovan Mitchell, they'll need to put the pedal to the metal and lose as many games as possible to bolster their position for landing Wembanyama. This means not letting Bojan Bogdanovic, Patrick Beverley, or Mike Conley start the season in a Jazz uniform.
There’s no reason to hide it because the Jazz won’t be the only team throwing in the towel for a puncher's chance at Wembanyama.
The chances of landing the coveted Frenchman are still unlikely, but you’ve got to shoot your shot. The good news is that there are some nice consolation prizes out there.
Nick Smith, Scott Henderson, Amen and Amar Thompson, and Cameron Whitemore head a list of blue chip prospects with 'face of the franchise' potential.
A lot hinges on how Jazz executive Danny Ainge decides to proceed with Mitchell, but if the team moves on from its three-time All-Star, a one-foot-in, one-foot-out tank isn’t going to be good enough.
It'll be time to jump in with both feet, and don't look back.
Follow Patrick on Twitter @pbyrnesNBA.
