2024 NBA Lottery Mock Draft: Blazers swing for upside, Spurs stockpile guards
By Reese Kunz
10. Utah Jazz draft Dalton Knecht
The Utah Jazz have done a solid job of stockpiling young assets in their post-Donovan Mitchell era. They have tremendous frontcourt depth between Walker Kessler, Lauri Markkanen, John Collins, and Taylor Hendricks. Their most significant question mark is in their backcourt. Collin Sexton is serviceable but seems better served in a sixth-man role as a sparkplug. Additionally, Jordan Clarkson is 32 and isn't part of their long-term core. In this draft, the Jazz should target a backcourt partner to pair with promising guard Keyonte George.
Dalton Knecht would be a high-floor addition that could immediately help fill their need for another guard. Although he's one of the older prospects in the draft at 23 years old, Knecht is too talented to fall out of the lottery. The All-American averaged 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game on 46/40/77 shooting splits at Tennessee. While he likely won't be a great defender at the next level, Knecht won't necessarily be a liability. He has solid positional size at 6-foot-5 and tested well athletically in the NBA combine.
If Knecht falls to the Jazz at ten, they should be ecstatic about the future backcourt duo of George and Knecht.