2024 NBA Mock Draft 5.0: Spurs find point guard, Raptors keep lottery selection

28. Utah Jazz (via Thunder) take Tyler Smith

It was a disastrous season for the G League Ignite where they won just 2 of 34 contests. It was an ill-fitting roster where little went right. The result was dropping the stock of several prospects, but Smith managed to increase his value. It was so bad that the NBA shut down the team after the season.

The 19-year-old averaged 13.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.0 block in 22.0 minutes per game. He shot 47.6 percent from the field, 36.4 percent on his threes, and 72.5 percent from the foul line. Finding a 6’11 forward capable of spacing the floor and blocking shots is not easy. There is intrigue about what he can do playing off a true point guard with a better-fitting roster around him.

His defense is a question mark. He struggled for the Ignite, but never count out an athletic 6’11 big man with a 7’1 wingspan. The teenager must improve on that end of the floor, but it is too soon to write him off completely.

The Jazz took Rob Dillingham in the lottery to give them a point guard to build around. They have Lauri Markkanen, but adding another stretch four with versatility could help Utah get back into contention. The Jazz are still stockpiling assets, and Smith’s upside could be just what they need to take the next step.