Although we have not even reached the NBA Finals yet, it has already been a very disappointing offseason for the Utah Jazz.
Utah had the worst record in the NBA this season at 17-65, which gave them a 14% chance to win the NBA lottery (along with the Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets, who also had a 14% chance).
However, the Dallas Mavericks shockingly won the top pick despite having just a 1.8% chance to do so. The San Antonio Spurs also climbed, getting the second-overall pick even though they had just a 6.3% chance at winning that selection.
Jazz Projected To Select Tre Johnson out of Texas
The Jazz would eventually be rewarded with the fifth pick, an extremely disappointing scenario after posting the worst mark in the league. Of course, that doesn’t mean the Jazz can’t find a player they can build their future around.
Tre Johnson off-the-dribble scoring.
39.7% from 3PT (11.4 3PA/100) pic.twitter.com/d8xqW0aU8O
— Mohamed (@mcfdraft)
The latest PFSN Mock Draft projects the Jazz to select guard Tre Johnson out of Texas.
“As a team still in the early stages of its rebuild, the Utah Jazz are in a position to prioritize long-term upside over immediate results,” writes PFSN’s Brandon Austin. “Utah’s offense was inefficient in 2024, scoring just 110.8 points per 100 possessions (24th in the NBA), according to Cleaning the Glass. That was a significant dip from the 115.4 they scored in 2023. Tre Johnson, one of the best pure scorers in the class, could provide a massive boost on that end of the floor.”
In fact, Austin sees the Jazz as a perfect landing spot for Johnson.
“Although his freshman year at Texas revealed some ball-dominant tendencies, the NBA setting could be the ideal environment to unlock his full potential,” Austin explained. “Johnson excels as a movement shooter, thriving off the ball with deep range and a smooth, high release. Standing 6’6″ with a 6’10” wingspan, he boasts prototypical size for a shooting guard. He’s a tough shot-maker who can score from all three levels. He led the SEC in scoring as a freshman, averaging nearly 20 points per game and displaying elite shot-making skills.”
Of course, development will be key. But in an environment like Utah, the Jazz can take their time with Johnson. The youngster will need to work on finishing through contact, improve his shot selection, and show more effort on defense.
That said, he possesses enough upside for a rebuilding Jazz squad to take a flier on and hope to hit big. Johnson is best known for his scoring ability, but he also possesses the ability to be an all-around playmaker.
Tre Johnson actually has very underrated passing chops. Good at passing with both hands and does well at finding cutters or spot-up shooters. https://t.co/nnCoNWo7uE pic.twitter.com/p2gjl5cwDZ
— Global Scouting (@GlobalScouting_)
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic compared Johnson to Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas. Vecenie compared their style of play in college and noted that both were big shooters who didn’t put much, if any, pressure on the rim.
Thomas averaged 24.0 points per game this season and was talked about a lot during the trade deadline. The Jazz would be quite pleased if they got similar production out of Johnson.
The Jazz will officially go on the clock on night one of the NBA Draft on June 25.
