Why Jazz are my biggest Day 1 NBA Draft winner

The Utah Jazz did a remarkable job letting the board come to them after reportedly being in trade discussions earlier in the day to move up. Instead of giving up some of their future picks to slide up the board and get the guy they wanted, they stood pat and let him fall to them. I wouldn't have put the odds particularly high that Cody Williams would have fallen to No. 10 when the day started, but because the Pistons surprised with Ron Holland at No. 5, the Hornets took Tidjane Salaun at No. 6 ahead of the Spurs, the Spurs moved out of No. 8 in a deal to Minnesota and then the Grizzlies took Zach Edey at No. 9, the Jazz hit essentially a three-outer on the river and ended up with their guy.

Williams isn't a sure thing, but he's one of my favorite wing upside bets in the class. At nearly 6-foot-7 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan and long strides, Williams was one of the best finishers at the rim this season in college among perimeter players in addition to showcasing real potential as a ballhandler and playmaker. He's a slick slasher with sharp ball pickups to get to the rim and also can pass on the move to hit open teammates. The key here will be the jumper. Williams made a high percentage of his low volume from distance, but he hasn't shown a ton of comfort yet as a pull-up shooter. If that part of his game comes together, watch out. This will be a big hit.

Then the Jazz took Isaiah Collier at No. 29. Collier was a polarizing player for scouts this year. I ended up with him at No. 19. The best flashes of Collier make one think he could be an All-Star. The bad moments make you believe he's more likely to be a backup point guard. Unsurprisingly given that, there's a wide range of opinions league-wide on his future.

But the Jazz could use a bit more power in the backcourt. They’re quite small and skinny back there, with Collin Sexton, Keyonte George, and Jordan Clarkson getting most of the reps. Those players are, by and large, pull-up shooters and guys who hit catch-and-shoot jumpers. Collier is a serious rim-pressure player who will attack and find creases where they sometimes don't exist. He'll hit kickouts and make high-level passing reads. If he can iron out the turnovers and develop a more consistent shot, this has potential to be the kind of guard the Jazz needed. Again, this class is all about informed bets based on your situation. Collier is a great informed bet for the Jazz.

In total, the Jazz took serious swings on upside on a roster that desperately needed such swings. This is a draft that makes sense, and now we’ll find out what they do at No. 32 on Thursday. This could really be a positive class for Danny Ainge, Justin Zanik and company if they hit on the right player there.