The Jazz still have a need at point guard. While Mike Conley is passable in the present, he’s clearly not much of an answer beyond this postseason. Nico Mannion is another five-star recruit once touted as a top-10 prospect. He struggled at times in his freshman season at Arizona, but the skill level is NBA quality.
In Mannion, the Jazz get one of the more advanced playmakers in the 2020 draft. Even with Donovan Mitchell making the leap in Orlando, a guard who can help take pressure off his shoulders in the halfcourt is important. Mannion is a severely limited athlete, but he can make just about every pass, and he’s a good enough shooter to coexist with a more ball-dominant guard.
The issues for Mannion are tied to his athleticism. He lacks burst, and therefore struggles to turn the corner and get dribble penetration. Such issues will only be exacerbated in the NBA. He also struggles to finish at the rim in traffic. Even so, it’s easy to bet on high basketball I.Q. and competitive spirt.