Redrafting the Jazz: 1979

I have been cursed by a witch to repeatedly travel back through time to relive every NBA draft. Fortunately, her spell sends me directly to the Utah Jazz war room on draft night and all the executives magically know I’m from the future and will do whatever I say. Unfortunately, the curse prevents me from seeing how my advice altered the future. And at long last, my journey has come to its end.

June 25, 1979 – Plaza Hotel, New York City

Previous season:

The Utah Jazz were officially born on June 8, 1979, when Sam Battistone Jr. completed the relocation of the New Orleans Jazz to Salt Lake City. Although he kept the same name and uniforms, and he left the roster mostly intact, he did seek a fresh start in management. Replacing Elgin Baylor at head coach was Tom Nissalke, who had won Coach of the Year with the Houston Rockets in 1977. Atlanta Hawks assistant coach Frank Layden also sought out Utah’s coaching role, but Battistone made him the general manger to replace Tom Willingham.

The New Orleans Jazz had struggled from Day One, and nothing had improved by their fifth and final season in Louisiana. With All-Star Pete Maravich limited to just 49 games, the Jazz limped to a 26-56 record, which earned them the right to the coin flip with the Chicago Bulls for the No. 1 pick in the 1979 Draft. For the first — and so far only — time in franchise history, the Jazz won the top pick. Unfortunately, it belonged to the Los Angeles Lakers thanks to a major mistake the Jazz made back in 1976. New Orleans decided to sign All-Star Gail Goodrich to a large contract, even though he was already past his prime. And back then, the NBA really hated the idea of free agency, so they had a punitive rule in place that forced teams to deliver some form of compensation to the free agent’s old team. New Orleans’ unprotected 1979 first-round pick was included in the compensation package to the Lakers, who then used it to draft Magic Johnson, forever altering the landscape of the NBA.

The draft:

Although the Jazz lost out on the top pick, they did own the 20th thanks to a trade that sent Truck Robinson to Phoenix. So with the first draft pick in Utah Jazz history, Frank Layden selected Larry Knight, a forward from Loyola Chicago.

In the second round, Utah used the 23rd pick on a guard from Georgia Tech named Tico Brown.

And the draft lasted eight more rounds after this, but none of those picks were consequential.

Analysis:

The new Utah Jazz front office had no time to prepare for this draft and it showed. Frank Layden apparently did no scouting on Larry Knight and drafted him simply because he averaged 13 rebounds per game in college. But Layden failed to take into account the mediocre level of competition Knight faced at his small school or how his slight 6-foot-8 frame would translate to the professional game. Tom Nissalke hated Knight’s game right away and cut him before the season began.

Tico Brown also failed to make the Jazz roster, and both Brown and Knight never saw action on an NBA court. All in all, this was absolute worst outcome in this draft for the Utah Jazz. Not only did they miss out on Magic Johnson, but their top two picks never even became NBA players. The best my interference could do would be to give the Jazz Bill Laimbeer, who was a four-time All-Star with Detroit.

My advice:

1. Use the 20th pick on Bill Laimbeer.

2. Who cares?

I know full well that Bill Laimbeer is a poor consolation prize for Magic Johnson. But it was the best I could do. And I honestly don’t care anymore. It was a fun ride while it lasted, now I close my eyes and allow the witch’s curse to return me to the present, where I am but a lowly fan, praying for the Jazz to hit it big in the draft.

Redrafting the Jazz: 1980

I have been cursed by a witch to repeatedly travel back through time to relive every NBA draft. Fortunately, her spell sends me directly to the Utah Jazz war room on draft night and all the executives magically know I’m from the future and will do whatever I say. Unfortunately, the curse prevents me from seeing how my advice altered the future, as I am sent back to the previous year as soon as draft night ends.

June 10, 1980 – Sheraton Centre Hotel & Towers, New York City

Previous season:

The 1979-80 season was this franchise’s first full season in Salt Lake City as the Utah Jazz. And boy, was it a doozy! General manager Frank Layden desperately tried to spice things up in the hectic 1979 offseason by trading a couple of veteran big men for young, high-scoring forwards. The first trade ended up being one of the best in Jazz history, as Utah sent the aging Spencer Haywood to the Lakers for Adrian Dantley. This immediately paid off for the Jazz, as Dantley made the first of six eventual All-Star appearances in an Utah uniform. Layden’s second big trade was to send Rich Kelley to New Jersey for Bernard King. This, unfortunately, turned out to be a disaster. King was arrested for sexual assault and cocaine possession. His alcoholism required a lengthy stay in rehab, which limited him to just 19 games with the Jazz. Utah was able to eventually trade him away to Golden State for big man Wayne Cooper, but he only gave the Jazz one mediocre season. King eventually did get his life together enough to put together a stretch of incredible basketball … but it wasn’t with the Jazz.

Layden had envisioned forming a Big Three with Dantley, King, and All-Star veteran Pete Maravich. Each of them would end up leading the NBA in scoring at different points in their careers, and it would have been fascinating to see if Layden’s all-offensive experiment could have worked. But in addition to King’s absence, Maravich’s injuries limited him to just 17 games. Unlike King, Maravich was on his last legs, and Utah couldn’t find anyone to trade for him. So they waived him in January 1980 and he quickly signed with the Boston Celtics before retiring at the end of the season. So with Dantley as the lone bright spot, the Jazz struggled to a 24-58 record.

The draft:

Back in these days, the NBA held a coin toss between the teams with the worst record in each conference for the No. 1 pick. Utah lost the coin toss to Detroit, but they owed the pick to Boston, who quickly traded it to Golden State for the third pick and Robert Parrish. The Warriors used the top pick on big man Joe Barry Carroll, while Utah used the second pick on a shooting guard from Louisville named Darrell Griffith.

The Jazz also owned the 19th pick thanks to a 1979 trade that sent Truck Robinson to Phoenix. With this pick, Utah selected point guard John Duren from Georgetown.

I don’t care about any of Utah’s other picks in this insanely long 10-round draft. Although I will point out that their fifth-round selection was a guy named Wally West, which I’m sure DC Comics fans will get a kick out of. Unfortunately, this Wally West didn’t play any games in the NBA.

Analysis:

The Darrell Griffith pick was a no-brainer for Utah. He was the best player on the NCAA national championship team and he filled an immediate need at shooting guard. (Let’s face it, the aging Ron Boone was nothing compared to Pistol Pete — even on his last legs.) Griffith was named Rookie of the Year and participated in two dunk contests. He also led the NBA in 3-pointers in two seasons before he broke his foot in 1985. He missed an entire season and was never the same after that, limping along for five more years, becoming exponentially less effective in each subsequent season. Nevertheless, he remained a fan favorite and deservedly had his jersey retired by the Jazz. But was he really the best pick for Utah?

The third pick in this draft was Kevin McHale. After resolving a contract dispute with the Celtics, he went on to have a legendary career in Boston, winning three championships and making seven All-Stars. He’s a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team and was the only player of this draft to reach the Hall of Fame. Even though Griffith was Rookie of the Year, he never made a single All-Star. McHale had the better career of the two — by far — but I still hesitate slightly to make this switch. Griffith filled a gaping hole in Utah’s backcourt. And McHale’s low-post scoring could have gotten in the way of Dantley’s low-post scoring. However, the Jazz were also pretty thin up front after dealing away Haywood and Kelley, and McHale’s rebounding and shot-blocking would have been much appreciated. At the end of the day, I think I want McHale more than Griffith (and Dantley, for that matter).

John Duren played sparingly in two seasons with the Jazz before being waived in 1982. Unfortunately, there aren’t any good guards left at No. 19. So I’ll recommend another big man, Jeff Ruland, who was a two-time All-Star with Washington. Even though he undoubtedly would have gotten in McHale’s way, I’m a firm believer of drafting the best player available. Ruland could be traded down the road for a good guard.

My advice:

1. Use the No. 2 pick on Kevin McHale.

2. Use the No. 19 pick on Jeff Ruland.

3. Don’t worry about the other picks.

Once again, I’m a little nervous that I’ve ruined my Jazz. But maybe not. Maybe I merely hastened the departure of Adrian Dantley, which would have saved Frank Layden and Larry Miller a lot of headaches down the road. And who’s to say that Darrell Griffith wouldn’t have thrived on those amazing Celtics teams? But I’ll never know, thanks to this witch’s curse. And I don’t know what lies in store for me moving forward, as I’ve now reached the beginning of the Utah Jazz. We’ll just have to wait and see!

Redrafting the Jazz: 1981

I have been cursed by a witch to repeatedly travel back through time to relive every NBA draft. Fortunately, her spell sends me directly to the Utah Jazz war room on draft night and all the executives magically know I’m from the future and will do whatever I say. Unfortunately, the curse prevents me from seeing how my advice altered the future, as I am sent back to the previous year as soon as draft night ends.

June 9, 1981 – Grand Hyatt Hotel, New York City

Previous season:

Only two players on the 1980-81 Utah Jazz roster had more than four years of experience (one of them was the immortal Ron Boone, who was quite ineffective in his 12th and final season). Head coach Tom Nissalke led this young, raw team to a mediocre 28-54 record. But there were a couple of bright spots. Darrell Griffith was named Rookie of the Year and Adrian Dantley led the NBA in points (30.1 per game) and minutes (42.7 per game), earning a spot in the All-Star Game, on the All-NBA Second Team, and finished 12th in MVP voting. The Jazz had another league-leader in a less flattering category — big man Ben Poquette committed an NBA-high 342 personal fouls.

The draft:

Utah’s record earned them the fifth pick in the 1981 NBA Draft. Unfortunately, in 1978, the New Orleans Jazz traded away this pick to Seattle for Slick Watts. The point guard led the league in assists and steals in 1976, but he was completely washed up just two years later. After just 39 games, the Jazz sent Watts to Houston for their 1981 first-round pick, which ended up being No. 13.

In desperate need of a big man, the Jazz used the 13th pick on Syracuse’s Danny Schayes, son of Hall of Famer Dolph Schayes.

In the second round, Utah used the 27th pick on a small forward from Tennessee named Howard Wood.

This draft lasted an accursed 10 rounds, but none of Utah’s other picks mattered. Only one of them actually played in any NBA games — eighth-rounder Bobby Cattage, who surprisingly made the Jazz roster and appeared in 49 games for Utah and 29 for New Jersey.

Analysis:

Schayes had a quiet rookie season, but became a starter as a sophomore, averaging a fairly respectable 12 points and nine rebounds per game. Surprisingly, he was dealt to Denver at the 1983 trade deadline for former Jazz veteran Rich Kelley and $300,000 in cash. General Manager Frank Layden talked up Kelley’s experience, revealing that Utah had nearly acquired him earlier as part of a proposed three-team deal that would have sent away Dantley. Layden backed out of that deal because he felt the other teams weren’t offering enough for Utah’s All-Star, but he was reportedly thrilled to find another way to acquire Kelley. However, Kelley didn’t contribute much during his second stint with the Jazz and he left for Sacramento in 1985. The best part of all this, though, was that it opened up room for Mark Eaton to develop into a Defensive Player of the Year and an All-Star.

And then there’s the money. Many people look on this trade with the view as the Dominique Wilkins trade. It’s true that in this era the Jazz were struggling financially. They played a handful of “home” games in Las Vegas to try to boost revenue and rumors constantly swirled about them relocating to Minneapolis or Miami. An extra $300,000 certainly helped keep the franchise a bit more stable, but I think winning more games would have helped more at the end of the day. So with that in mind, I recommend finding an upgrade to Schayes. Even though he enjoyed an 18-year career in the NBA, he was almost always a backup.

In my opinion, Larry Nance would have been a much better pick at this position. The All-Star, All-Defensive Team power forward could have made a powerful front court alongside Dantley and Eaton (assuming the Jazz still drafted him).

Utah’s second-round pick, Howard Wood, only lasted 42 games before being waived. Obviously we need to upgrade here. My choice is BYU’s Danny Ainge. I wonder if one reason he fell so far in the draft was because he was playing Major League Baseball for the Toronto Blue Jays at the time. But the Boston Celtics didn’t mind buying out his MLB contract, and Ainge became a major contributor on two of their championship teams and an All-Star. Even though Utah already had a budding back court with Griffith and Rickey Green, I think Ainge would have made a stellar backup for both of them. Later in his career, Ainge was runner-up to Sixth Man of the Year.

And then there’s Ainge’s stellar work as a general manager. True, he has been guiding the Jazz front office for the past few years, but maybe he would have started doing that a lot sooner had he been drafted by Utah instead of Boston.

My advice:

1. Use the 13th pick on Larry Nance.

2. Use the 27th pick on Danny Ainge.

3. Don’t worry about any of the other picks.

The Danny Schayes pick turned into some much-needed cash and a veteran backup for Mark Eaton. I realize I’m putting those things at risk by recommending Nance over Schayes, but I guess I value on-the-court production more than these alleged intangibles. Did I just doom the Jazz to be relocated to Minneapolis? Well, I’ll never know. Because as soon as that 10th round ends, the witch’s curse whisks me away back to 1980.

Redrafting the Jazz: 1982

I have been cursed by a witch to repeatedly travel back through time to relive every NBA draft. Fortunately, her spell sends me directly to the Utah Jazz war room on draft night and all the executives magically know I’m from the future and will do whatever I say. Unfortunately, the curse prevents me from seeing how my advice altered the future, as I am sent back to the previous year as soon as draft night ends.

June 29, 1982 – Madison Square Garden, New York City

Previous season:

The Utah Jazz were a young team in 1981-82 — their oldest player only had six years of experience — which meant their future was bright and full of hope. Adrian Dantley was an All-Star and finished 15th in MVP voting. He led the league in free throws, but also turnovers, unfortunately. Rickey Green and Darrell Griffith formed an intriguing backcourt, but nobody else on the roster showed much promise. After starting the season 5-2, the Jazz lost 10 of their next 13 games, leading to the abrupt firing of coach Tom Nissalke. General Manager Frank Layden was given double duties, but he didn't fare much better this year, and Utah finished at 25-57, which earned them the third pick of the 1982 Draft.

The draft:

National Player of the Year Ralph Sampson was widely regarded to be the No. 1 overall pick this year. But when he saw that the San Diego Clippers had a 50% chance of winning that pick, he decided to return to college for one more year. The Clippers ended up losing the coin flip with the Lakers, who had to "settle" on future Hall of Famer James Worthy. San Diego took Terry Cummings at No. 2, leaving Georgia small forward Dominique Wilkins to the Jazz at No. 3.

The Jazz didn't have a second-round pick due to a trade they made in 1979, but they did end up with two third-round picks after they traded former Ute Jeff Judkins to Detroit in 1981. With the 49th pick, Utah selected BYU big man Steve Trumbo. And they drafted Louisville point guard Jerry Eaves at No. 55.

In the fourth round, Utah took a chance on 26-year-old Mark Eaton from UCLA.

None of Utah's other picks played in the NBA, but here they are just for fun:

95. Mike McKay, UConn

118. Alvin Jackson, Southern University and A&M College

141. Thad Garner, Michigan

187. Riley Clarida, Long Island University

208. Michael Edwards, New Orleans

Analysis:

This is one of the most infamous drafts in Utah Jazz history. If you ask any Jazz fan, they'll most likely tell you the same story: Dominique Wilkins refused to play in Utah, but that was alright because the Jazz were able to sell his rights to Atlanta for $1 million, which the cash-strapped Jazz desperately needed to keep the team in Salt Lake. If you ask Wilkins today, he will readily admit that he didn't want to play for the Jazz, but he will diplomatically say it was only because Frank Layden wanted to play him as a power forward alongside Adrian Dantley. But what actually happened? To discover this, I spent an embarrassing amount of time combing through scanned newspapers from 1982. My efforts were rewarded, and I'm now able to put together a pretty clear picture of what people were thinking at the time.

First, let's examine Wilkins' story. Scroll back up and look at the picture of him shaking NBA Commissioner Larry O'Brien's hand on Draft Day. That is the face of an unhappy man. That is the same face Steve Francis made when he was drafted by the Vancouver Grizzlies. Reading the newspapers from 1982, it seemed like a pretty open secret that Wilkins did not want to go to Utah. With Ralph Sampson opting to return to college, this became a three-player draft with Wilkins firmly in the third position. Layden admitted that the Jazz received many offers for the pick before the draft and it actually would have been easier to have traded it before they picked Wilkins. 

In Wilkins' defense, Utah was not an ideal destination in 1982. Aside from the geographic and sociological challenges, the Utah Jazz franchise was on really shaky ground before Larry Miller took over the team. The Jazz frequently played "home" games in Las Vegas and owner Sam Battistone was constantly threatening to move the team to Minneapolis or even Toronto. So I understand Wilkins' hesitation there. But I don't understand his current story of not wanting to play power forward. First of all, Dantley was a small forward in name only. Despite his 6-5 height, he was actually a power forward for all intents and purposes. This was one of the main reasons why Utah traded him away after they drafted Karl Malone. But my second objection to Wilkins' story is that I can find no contemporary evidence to corroborate. None of the papers in 1982 even mentioned the difficulty of playing Wilkins alongside Dantley. There was some playful pondering of whether Wilkins would replace Darrell Griffith as the best dunker on the team, but that's it. On the day of the draft, the prevailing assumption was that the Jazz intended to play Wilkins because they didn't trade their pick before the draft.

Now what about the money? When Utah finally did send Wilkins to Atlanta in September, Battistone said that many teams offered to buy the rights to Wilkins, but he insisted on holding out for a deal that included quality players. Layden confirmed as much, saying the Jazz spent months negotiating with the Hawks and only agreed to the deal once two-time All-Star John Drew was included. The initial reporting hyped up the acquisition of both Drew and Freeman Williams, who had scored more points in college than anyone besides Pete Maravich at the time. The inclusion of $1 million in cash was treated as an afterthought.

I have no doubt that the money helped the Jazz a lot. But the narrative of that cash "saving" the Jazz appears to have been something that developed over time to justify the incredibly lopsided results of this trade. While Wilkins went on to become a perennial All-Star and MVP candidate, Drew and Williams failed to live up to the hype Layden bestowed on them. Drew missed 38 games in his first season in Utah due to an eight-week stint in drug rehab. He came back strong in his second season and was runner-up for Sixth Man of the Year. (Unlike with Wilkins, there was an actual conversation about whether Drew could play alongside Dantley, as they both had very similar games. Which is why Drew was forced to come off the bench.) Sadly, Drew relapsed in 1984 and was waived after just 19 games into his third Jazz season. He later earned the distinction of becoming the first player banned by David Stern for substance abuse.

Williams fared no better, playing in only 18 games before quietly being waived in December 1982. It was later revealed that he also struggled with substance abuse. Eerily, both Drew and Williams passed away in April 2022.

I wonder if this was a complete coincidence that both the players Atlanta sent to Utah were essentially "damaged goods." It stands to reason that the Hawks would have known better than anyone whether their players were struggling with an addiction. And this was also an era of "gentlemanly" coverups. People simply didn't talk about things like drug addiction or sex with underage girls unless it really became a big problem. Regardless of Atlanta's inside knowledge (or the lack thereof), this trade would have been a complete disaster for Utah had it not been for that $1 million in cash. And since everyone loved Layden so much, it makes sense that they all collectively decided to spin this blunder in a more positive light — even if said spin required some revisionist history.

Now how about the rest of the draft? Well, Steve Trumbo never played in the NBA and Jerry Eaves gave Utah two quiet seasons in a reserve role before he was waived to make room for John Stockton. But Mark Eaton was one of the most inspiring success stories in NBA history. This blog has already gone on long enough, so I'll restrain myself from telling you what you probably already know.

My advice:

Believe it or not, I'm going to advise the Jazz to do everything the same. I'm not sure the Dominique Wilkins trade was the best possible trade for Utah to make — but I can't really help with that, as the witch's curse contains me just to the night of the draft. At the end of the day, I believe teams should use the draft to select the best player available, even if he refuses to play for your team. Acquiring valuable assets is the name of the game for general managers. And Dominique Wilkins was by far the most valuable asset available at the No. 3 spot. And, of course, Mark Eaton was a beautiful diamond in the rough that Utah can't afford to miss.

Redrafting the Jazz: 1983

I have been cursed by a witch to repeatedly travel back through time to relive every NBA draft. Fortunately, her spell sends me directly to the Utah Jazz war room on draft night and all the executives magically know I’m from the future and will do whatever I say. Unfortunately, the curse prevents me from seeing how my advice altered the future, as I am sent back to the previous year as soon as draft night ends.

June 28, 1983 – Madison Square Garden, New York City

Previous season:

The 1982-83 season was difficult for the Jazz, but full of promises. An injured wrist cost Adrian Dantley 60 games and two-time All-Star John Drew (recently acquired in the Dominque Wilkins trade) spent half the season in rehab, battling his cocaine addiction. So it's little surprise that Utah was only able to win 30 games. But the young roster had some bright spots. Darrell Griffith and Rickey Green made a formidable backcourt (Green led the league in total steals). And rookie Mark Eaton quickly established himself as one of the best shot-blockers in the NBA.

The draft:

With the seventh pick, Utah selected North Carolina State power forward Thurl Bailey.

The Jazz didn't have a second-round pick this year because they traded it to Dallas in 1980 for Billy McKinney.

In the third round, the Jazz used the 54th pick on a shooting guard from Iowa named Bob Hansen.

The Jazz drafted seven other players, none of whom ever played a single NBA game. But just for fun, here are their names:

76. Doug Arnold, TCU

100. Matt Clark, Oklahoma State

122. Fred Gilliam, Clemson

146. Gerald Kazanowski, Victoria, Canada

168. Michael McCombs, College of Santa Fe

191. Ron Webb, Oklahoma Christian University

211. Odell Mosteller, Auburn

Analysis:

The Jazz desperately needed a power forward (both Dantley and Drew were really small forwards). Utah had two quality power forwards available at the seventh spot — Bailey and Antoine Carr. Of course, Carr would eventually become a major contributor on the Jazz '97 and '98 Finals runs (and my favorite player in my childhood), but the Jazz were really impressed with Bailey's personality. And there is a lot to be said about that.

Bailey ended up being a perfect fit in Utah, becoming a fan favorite and perennial contender for Sixth Man of the Year (although he never won that award). Even after he was surprisingly traded for Tyrone Corbin, Bailey still chose to return to Utah for one last season in 1999 and made the state his permanent home. He even joined Utah's predominant faith, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and he's been a fixture of Jazz broadcasting for years, currently providing color commentary alongside Craig Bolerjack.

This was a good draft pick. BUT! I don't feel good about repeating it. One of the NBA's all-time greats fell to No. 14 in this draft. I know it doesn't make much sense to bring in shooting guard Clyde Drexler when Griffith is still good and young, and the Jazz really, really need a big man, but I don't care! You simply cannot pass on a player who made 10 All-Star games and was named to the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams. I'd simply have to tell the Jazz front office to move some players around and trust me that this would work.

Hansen ended up being the best player taken in the third round by far. He gave the Jazz seven solid seasons, even once receiving votes for Defensive Player of the Year. He's also technically the NBA's career leader for 3-point percentage in the playoffs, but he only made 38 3-pointers, so does it really count? Anyway, he gave the Jazz a lot more than you would normally expect from the third round, so I have no problem drafting him again.

As I said earlier, none of Utah's other picks even played in the NBA. And of the remaining players, there's only one that caught my eye: Sedale Threatt, a West Virginia Tech guard who somehow put together a very successful 14-year NBA career. So I'd grab him in the fourth round and see what happens.

My advice:

1. Use the seventh pick on Clyde Drexler.

2. Use the 54th pick on Bob Hansen.

3. Use the 76th pick on Sedale Threatt.

4. Dealer's choice for the remaining picks!

I know I just added three guards to a team that already has a decent backcourt. But these were the best players available. And who knows? Maybe the Jazz would be able to trade Griffith away for a halfway decent power forward. I'm just having a fun time imagining Clyde the Glide in a Jazz jersey!

Redrafting the Jazz: 1984

I have been cursed by a witch to repeatedly travel back through time to relive every NBA draft. Fortunately, her spell sends me directly to the Utah Jazz war room on draft night and all the executives magically know I’m from the future and will do whatever I say. Unfortunately, the curse prevents me from seeing how my advice altered the future, as I am sent back to the previous year as soon as draft night ends.

June 19, 1984 – Madison Square Garden, New York City

Previous season:

The 1983-84 season was a very exciting time for the Utah Jazz. All-Star Adrian Dantley led the league in scoring and was named to the All-NBA Second Team. Rickey Green was also named an All-Star while leading the league in steals. Darrell Griffith not only made more 3-pointers than anyone else this season, but he also shot the highest percentage from beyond the arc. Mark Eaton led the NBA in blocks and was second behind Sidney Moncrief in voting for Defensive Player of the Year. And John Drew finished second to Kevin McHale for Sixth Man of the Year. (This was sadly Drew's last good season in the NBA before being waived by the Jazz and subsequently banned from the league for cocaine addiction.)

Frank Layden was named Coach of the Year as he guided the Jazz to a 45-37 record and their first playoff appearance in franchise history. After sneaking past Denver in a memorable five-game series, Utah fell to Phoenix in six games in the second round. So spirits were certainly high entering the 1984 draft.

The draft:

With the 16th pick, Utah selected a little-known point guard from Gonzaga named John Stockton.

The Jazz didn't have a second-round pick, since they traded it away to Dallas in 1980 for Billy McKinney.

The remaining eight(!) rounds were rather inconsequential. So I'll just run through them in a bullet list:

62. David Pope, Norfolk State

86. Jim Rowinski, Purdue

108. Marcus Gaither, Fairleigh Dickinson University

132. Chris Harrison, West Virginia Wesleyan College

154. Bob Evans, Southern Utah University

178. Eric Booker, UNLV

199. Kelly Knight, Kansas

222. Mike Curran, Niagara University

Analysis:

Karl Malone may have been Utah's greatest draft pick, but John Stockton was the team's savviest. Frank Layden knew right away he had found a diamond in the rough. In interviews with local media heading up to the draft, Layden provided a list of 13 players on Utah's radar. Stockton's name was not on that list, and Layden coyly hinted that there might be a surprise on draft night. Well, there was. And the fans booed the pick. Like my dad always likes to tell me, people had to look up Gonzaga in an encyclopedia to see where it was.

I don't need to list off Stockton accomplishments here. He provided Utah with 19 years of no-nonsense excellence, rarely missing a game, winning more often than losing and quietly setting a good example for the children of Utah. Yeah, I did lose a lot of respect for him when he became a vocal anti-vaxxer in his retirement. But that doesn't diminish the impact he had during his playing career. And I would be a fool to tell the Jazz to draft anyone else.

None of the eight other draftees ever played for the Jazz. And only two of them, Pope and Rowinski, even saw action on an NBA court. This is normally where I provide replacements for each pick, but there's really no point for this draft. There are only two players in the later rounds that I'm remotely interested in. The first is Jerome Kersey, who had a 17-year career, shining brightest for the Portland Trail Blazers. But he went in the second round, and it would have been impossible for Utah to draft him. The second is Oscar Schmidt, who was named to the Basketball Hall of Fame because of his accomplishments in Brazil and Italy. He was drafted by New Jersey in the sixth round, but they offered him a smaller contract than his Italian team, so he never came to the NBA. I guess I could advise to take a chance on Schmidt — even if it means overpaying him upfront.

But other than that, I have nothing to contribute to the Utah Jazz front office this year. So I'll just let the witch's curse do its thing and take me back to 1983!

Redrafting the Jazz: 1985

I have been cursed by a witch to repeatedly travel back through time to relive every NBA draft. Fortunately, her spell sends me directly to the Utah Jazz war room on draft night and all the executives magically know I’m from the future and will do whatever I say. Unfortunately, the curse prevents me from seeing how my advice altered the future, as I am sent back to the previous year as soon as draft night ends.

June 18, 1985 – Madison Square Garden, New York City

Previous season:

Led by All-Star Adrian Dantley and Defensive Player of the Year Mark Eaton, the Jazz reached the second round of the playoffs before being crushed by Denver in five games. But Dantley only played in 55 games, giving the Jazz a mediocre 41-41 record, which ended up helping out tremendously in the draft.

The draft:

Even though the Jazz already had Dantley and Thurl Bailey, they couldn't resist picking up the Mailman when Karl Malone inexplicably slipped to No. 13.

In the second round, the Jazz drafted a small forward from Long Island University named Carey Scurry with the 37th pick.

Because of the NBA's strange free agent rules of the day, the Jazz were forced to give their third-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks as compensation for signing Billy Paultz.

In the fourth round, Utah used the 83rd pick on Wake Forest point guard Delaney Rudd.

In the fifth round, the Jazz drafted a guard from Canisius named Ray Hall at No. 105.

Utah's sixth-round pick (No. 129) went on Jim Miller, a forward from Virginia.

And finally, in the seventh round, with the 151st overall pick, the Jazz drafted Texas forward Mike Wacker.

Analysis:

Apologies to all John Stockton fans out there, but Karl Malone is hands-down the greatest draft pick in Utah Jazz history. Eighteen years of unparalleled consistency and excellence. Two MVPs, Olympic gold medals, trips to the Finals, All-Star MVPs ... you name it, he did it. Everything except win a championship. Regardless, he was a remarkable player, even heading into the draft. Remember, he picked up the Mailman nickname in college! So it came as a complete shock to everyone to see him slide so far in the draft. Head coach and general manager Frank Layden worried that all the other teams knew something he didn't know. Malone himself was so convinced that Dallas would draft him that he even picked out an apartment in the city.

Nobody really knows why the other 12 teams passed on Malone. Layden had heard there was some concerns about Malone's temperament. The Mavericks' GM said he didn't believe Malone was a pure power forward and a weak rebounder. Which was a very odd thing to say since he also passed on rebounding guru Charles Oakley to take small forward Detlef Schrempf. (By the way, Malone ended his career with 10.1 rebounds per game, more than Oakley and even this year's No. 1 overall pick, Patrick Ewing.) But what I have been unable to find is anyone on the record saying they didn't draft Malone because he had impregnated a 13-year-old girl.

Back when I posted about DeShawn Stevenson, I got into a lengthy argument with someone who claimed that the Jazz did know (or should have known) about Malone's transgressions before the draft and that the organization was uniquely despicable for turning a blind eye toward this. I don't know who knew what and when — I myself didn't learn of this until after Malone's retirement — but I am confident in saying the Jazz would not have been unique in overlooking this matter. Especially since Malone was never formally charged with a crime. This does not, in any way, excuse his behavior. I'm just pointing out that if the Jazz had chosen the moral high ground of refusing to draft (or quickly getting rid of) Malone, then somebody else would have immediately snatched him without a moment's pause.

So what is the morally right thing to do here? Malone was a generational talent and Layden made the strategically correct move by trading away an All-Star to make room for him. But compromising your basketball roster is one thing. But compromising your principles is another. Maybe Layden and Larry H. Miller and the rest of Utah's front office didn't know about Malone's history on draft night. But I do. And I can't deny that seeing Malone's statue in front of the Delta Center makes me a bit uncomfortable these days. Mainly because Malone has refused to apologize or even speak to those who have criticized him for this.

Is it possible, or even fair to argue that Malone's positive impact on the NBA and the state of Utah outweigh the horrific things he did before being drafted? It's hard to justify the drafting of Karl Malone without sounding like a selfish fan who just wants to win more basketball games. But he meant more to Utah than just basketball. It's hard to imagine Larry Miller being able to keep the team in Salt Lake, let alone construct the beautiful Delta Center without Malone. Think of all the jobs this man created simply by being one of the best basketball players in the world. Is that a valid argument? I don't know. Am I overthinking this? Probably. (After all, this whole blog is just for fun!)

Let's move on and look at the five other players the Jazz drafted. Carey Scurry was an unremarkable, but reliable backup for two-and-a-half seasons for Utah. But then he started getting into fights with his teammates (most notably Mel Turpin) and coach Frank Layden. So the Jazz waived him and he signed a 10-day contract with the Knicks before falling out of the NBA altogether. So in replacement, I suggest John "Hot Rod" Williams. He only fell to the second round because of a point-shaving scandal in college, which also caused him to miss the 1985-86 season. But he made the 1986-87 All-Rookie First Team and enjoyed a 13-year career as a defensive-minded power forward/center. I think he would have been a huge upgrade over Scurry and may have even enabled the Jazz to trade away Thurl Bailey earlier.

Even though the Jazz drafted Delaney Rudd in 1985, he spent the next several years in the CBA and Greece before Utah finally signed him in 1989. After spending three seasons in the unglamorous role of Stockton's backup, Rudd excitedly signed with Portland in 1993. But he only played 15 games for the Blazers before dropping out of the NBA for good. Luckily, I have the perfect upgrade available: Anthony "Spud" Webb. He was mostly known for his dunking skills, but he was also a fairly decent point guard who lasted 12 years in the league. Granted, it may have been hard for him to fully develop his game behind Stockton, but at the very least it would have been fun watching him wear a Jazz uniform in the dunk contests.

The last three players the Jazz drafted never played in the NBA. I only have one good player left (Mario Elie) and he wasn't taken until the seventh round. So I'm going to spend my fifth-round pick on BYU's Timo Saarelainen. He was a small forward from Finland who also never played in the NBA, but I think it would have been fun to have him try out for the Jazz.

In the sixth round, I'll take Michael Phelps. No, not that Michael Phelps, the Michael Phelps who was a shooting guard from Alcorn State. He spent three mediocre seasons in the NBA, which is three more seasons than the rest of the sixth-round picks combined.

And finally, in the seventh round, I'm going to draft Mario Elie. He didn't make an NBA roster until 1990, but his defense and 3-point shooting made him an invaluable piece on two Houston championship teams and one San Antonio title run. I think he could have been a real difference maker for Utah.

My advice:

1. Use the 13th pick on Karl Malone.

2. Use the 37th pick on Hot Rod Williams.

3. Use the 83rd pick on Spud Webb.

4. Use the 105th pick on Timo Saarelainen.

5. Use the 129th pick on Michael Phelps.

6. Use the 151st pick on Mario Elie.

I'll admit that part of the reason I took two months to write this post was because I still don't know how to reconcile Karl Malone's legacy. I want to say that had I been in that situation and fully aware of all the facts, I would have made sure that I wasn't involved in rewarding and exalting a man who somehow avoided all accountability for a heinous act. But I also don't want to deny my community of something truly special that has left such a lasting impression a full 40 years later. I just don't know what the right thing would have been. Perhaps there is no right or wrong in this situation.

Redrafting the Jazz: 1986

I have been cursed by a witch to repeatedly travel back through time to relive every NBA draft. Fortunately, her spell sends me directly to the Utah Jazz war room on draft night and all the executives magically know I’m from the future and will do whatever I say. Unfortunately, the curse prevents me from seeing how my advice altered the future, as I am sent back to the previous year as soon as draft night ends.

June 17, 1986 – Madison Square Garden, New York City

Previous season:

The 1985-86 season was a year of transition for the Jazz. Karl Malone made an immediate impact and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting. Of course, his emergence meant that All-Star Adrian Dantley was quickly becoming redundant. The Jazz ended up trading Dantley in the offseason, partly due to the redundancy factor but mostly due to his frequent spats with head coach Frank Layden and team owner Larry Miller. There also was a bit of concern that Dantley was a bad influence on Malone, as he had instructed the youngster to save his body by not diving for loose balls (and also because it was making Dantley look bad).

Utah's best shooting guard, Darrell Griffith, missed the entire season with a stress fracture in his foot, leaving the Jazz with a mediocre back court of Bob Hansen and Rickey Green. Layden stubbornly insisted on keeping Stockton on the bench, even though he led the team in assists and steals. All this added up to a ho-hum 42-40 record. Dantley didn't play in the playoffs, and the Jazz lost to Dallas in four games in the first round.

The draft:

The Jazz used the 15th pick on Dell Curry, a swingman from Virginia Tech.

Utah didn't have a second-round pick because of a 1984 trade where they sent two second-round picks to San Antonio for Fred Roberts. (The Jazz quickly got sick of Roberts and traded him in 1986 to Boston for a third-round pick.)

In the third round, the Jazz drafted two centers — Minnesota's John Shasky at No. 61 and Rocky Mountain's Bill Breeding at No. 63.

In the fourth round, Utah picked DePaul forward Marty Embry at No. 84.

In the fifth round, the Jazz drafted Cal State Fullerton forward Kerry Boagni at No. 107.

In the sixth round, Utah took Villanova center Chuck Everson at No. 130.

And finally, with the 153rd pick in the seventh round, the Jazz drafted Hartford forward Mark Mitchell.

Analysis:

Dell Curry may not have had nearly as good a career as his son Steph, but he still put together a rather respectable run. He was the 1994 Sixth Man of the Year and led the league in 3-point percentage in 1999. And back in 1986, he was considered a bit of a steal for the Jazz on draft night. And it made a lot of sense to add a sharpshooter to a team that really only had one decent 3-point shooter — the injured Darrell Griffith. Unfortunately, Curry only played sparingly during his rookie year and the Jazz traded him away in 1987. Apparently the Jazz were displeased with Curry's work ethic and the final straw was watching him get outplayed by a bunch of nobodies in the summer league. Curry later talked fondly about his lone season in Utah, saying it helped teach him how to be more professional, so it seems like this trade was a wake-up call for him. It didn't help the Jazz too much, though. They sent Curry and Kent Benson to Cleveland for Darryl Dawkins and Melvin Turpin. Dawkins (well past his prime) was quickly shipped off to Detroit for a couple of second-round picks and Turpin soon lived up to his unflattering nickname of "Dinner Bell Mel" and was released by the Jazz after one season. All this to say that we can find a better pick for the Jazz!

The logical choice is Jeff Hornacek. He was the perfect fit for the Jazz, culturally and from a skill-set perspective. He would have done everything Utah wanted Curry to do, with the added bonus of perfectly complimenting Malone and Stockton. As a kid, watching Hornacek hobble around on his cartilage-depleted knees made me wish the Jazz could have had a young, fresh Hornack. This is a lifelong dream for me — a complete no-brainer! So why do I hesitate? Well, to quote a joke my dad liked to make, "He's not My-vydas. He's not Your-vydas. He's Arvydas!"

Arvydas Sabonis is one of the greatest what-ifs in NBA history. In the 80s, he was one of the best players on the planet, but was forbidden from leaving the Soviet Union until 1989. But by then, Sabonis had suffered a series of injuries and was worried about how well he'd perform in the NBA. So he signed with a team in Spain instead of the Portland Trail Blazers (who owned his draft rights). Sabonis spent the next six years dominating in Spain and the Blazers kind of just forgot about him. Until they got a new general manager who finally convinced Sabonis to join the NBA in 1995. Sabonis only played seven years in the league, but his passing and 3-point shooting helped make him a productive player, despite his limited mobility. 

Call me crazy, but I really, really want the Jazz to take Sabonis. In a worst-case scenario, he doesn't join the team until 1995, when Utah's biggest weakness is at center and Sabonis could probably help propel those otherwise great Jazz teams to the top. But I also think there's a decent chance the Jazz could persuade Sabonis to join the NBA earlier, perhaps as soon as 1992 — after his first Spanish contract expired. This possibility is too tantalizing for me to resist. And I can take some comfort in knowing the Jazz would still eventually get Hornacek (especially if this witch's curse compels the Utah front office to believe every word I say).

As for the rest of Utah's six draft picks? None of them made the Jazz roster. And only one of them, John Shasky, played in any NBA games. These guys are all completely inconsequential, and I unfortunately don't have any incredible replacements for them. (Shasky was taken one spot after Drazen Petrovic, who was also drafted by Portland.) So I'm not going to waste too much time on my recommendations with those picks.

My advice:

1. Use the 15th pick on Arvydas Sabonis.

2. Use the 61st pick on Dave Hoppen.

3. Use the 63rd pick on Anthony Bowie.

4. Use the 84th pick on Pete Myers.

5. Use the 107th pick on Tim Kempton.

6. Use the 133rd pick on Anthony Frederick.

7. Use the 153rd pick on Kelvin Upshaw.

I still can't believe that I'm turning my back on Jeff Hornacek. I just don't know if he would have made enough of a difference in those early days to justify passing on the potential of Sabonis. Those early Stockton-Malone teams had to rely too much on Thurl Bailey and Mark Eaton, and I can't really see Hornacek being able to compensate entirely for that. But if you manage to get Sabonis a little earlier and a little more mobile, and then still get Hornacek through some trade, then you might have a really special team.

Redrafting the Jazz: 1987

I have been cursed by a witch to repeatedly travel back through time to relive every NBA draft. Fortunately, her spell sends me directly to the Utah Jazz war room on draft night and all the executives magically know I’m from the future and will do whatever I say. Unfortunately, the curse prevents me from seeing how my advice altered the future, as I am sent back to the previous year as soon as draft night ends.

June 22, 1987 – Madison Square Garden, New York City

Previous season:

The 1986-87 Jazz were a young and upcoming team. Karl Malone wasn't quite an All-Star yet, but he did receive votes for both MVP and Most Improved Player. Mark Eaton led the league in blocks and finished third in voting for Defensive Player of the Year. But most frustratingly, head coach Frank Layden insisted on starting Rickey Green over John Stockton, even though Stockton put up superior numbers in limited minutes. Layden eventually learned the error of his ways during the first round of the playoffs, but he made the switch too late, and Utah fell to Golden State in five games.

The draft:

In the first round, Utah used the 15th pick on Oregon State power forward José Ortiz.

The Jazz didn't have a second-round pick this year, as it was included in the 1986 trade that send Adrian Dantley to Detroit for Kelly Tripucka. But the Jazz did have plenty of other picks in this seven-round draft.

In the third round, Utah used the 61st pick on Western Kentucky center Clarence Martin.

A 1986 trade that sent Fred Roberts to Boston gave the Jazz the 68th pick, which they used on Providence point guard Billy Donovan.

In the fourth round, Utah used the 84th pick on Alabama State center Reuben Holmes.

In the fifth round, the Jazz used the 107th pick on Nebraska-Kearney shooting guard Bart Kofoed.

In the sixth round, Utah used the the 130th pick on Bloomfield guard Art Sabb.

And finally, in the seventh round, the Jazz selected a guard from Harvard named Keith Webster with the 153rd pick. Whew!

Analysis:

José Ortiz was, and perhaps still is, considered the greatest basketball player to come from Puerto Rico. Even though he played at Oregon State, there was genuine concern that he had no interest in playing in the NBA, as that would prevent him from representing Puerto Rico in the playoffs. But apparently assured Jazz officials he would play in the NBA, and I'm sure Utah considered him quite the steal at No. 15. But the 1987 offseason was an odd one, where a league-wide moratorium prevented teams from hosting summer games or even contacting their draft picks for months. During this time, Oriz shocked the Jazz by signing a four-year deal with a team in Spain. So the Jazz played the 1987-88 season without their first-round pick.

In 1988, the Jazz got a strange idea stuck in their head that the best way forward was to create a three forward lineup of Karl Malone, Thurl Bailey and free agent Tom Chambers. But Phoenix offered Chambers a massive deal he couldn't refuse. Desperate to bring this three forward dream to life, Utah general manager Dave Checketts flew out to Spain once and Puerto Rico twice to personally negotiate with Ortiz. At first, Ortiz demanded to be traded to Miami, but the Jazz couldn't work out a deal. Ortiz eventually agreed to come to Utah, but getting out of his contract in Spain proved tricky. Utah's solution was an unconventional "trade." They released overweight Mel Turpin so he could take Ortiz's spot on his team in Spain.

Was Ortiz worth all that hassle? Absolutely not. The three forward lineup crashed and burned, as Ortiz was nowhere near the level of Malone and Bailey. He only managed 6 minutes per game in 64 games over two seasons before he demanded the Jazz waive him so he could return to Spain. And Ortiz went down in Jazz history as perhaps their worst draft pick of the decade.

Utah's other six picks of this draft didn't fare much better. Only two of them saw any NBA action. Billy Donovan played 44 games for the Knicks before becoming a legendary college coach, winning back-to-back NCAA championships with Florida. He's currently the head coach of the Chicago Bulls.

Fifth-round draft pick Bart Kofoed was the only pick this year that played for the Jazz in the 1987-88 season. And he miraculously managed to make Utah's roster despite breaking his foot. He played so well in the 1988 playoffs, the Jazz gave him a two-year contract. But then he got into a fight with Bobby Hansen at a New Year's Eve party and he ended up breaking Hansen's cheekbone. The Jazz promptly waived him, and he spent the next few years bouncing back and forth between the NBA and CBA.

So, we obviously have a lot of room for improvement. And we have seven draft picks to work with, which certainly makes things exciting! So let's run through this in rapid fire.

With their first-round pick, the Jazz should have taken Reggie Lewis. They didn't need a third forward to pair with Malone and Bailey — they needed a swingman who could do what Kelly Tripucka was supposed to do, but was unwilling/unable to. Lewis was an All-Star in Boston before shockingly dying at the age of 27. There seems to be a strong possibility his death was caused by cocaine use, so I'm going to take a chance on him. I know this sounds silly, but maybe — just maybe — he'll have a hard time finding cocaine in Salt Lake than Boston. And if not, then I'll still be happy with the handful of quality seasons he'd give the Jazz.

In the third round, I'd use the 61st pick on Kevin Gamble. He's also a swingman, but he actually had the best years of his career while playing alongside Lewis in Boston. So I'd like to see if the Jazz could capture some of that magic.

With the 68th pick, I'll take Chris Dudley, an unglamorous big man from Yale, who managed to have a 16-year NBA career due to his strong rebounding and shot-blocking.

In the fourth round, I wish I could recommend Sarunas Marciulionis. The Lithuanian Hall of Famer did have a decent NBA career, but he was technically ineligible to be drafted in 1987 because he was too old, according to the league's rules regarding European players at the time. So I'll instead take Scott Brooks, an undrafted point guard, who somehow ended up having a 10-year NBA career. Perhaps he could do better than Kofoed.

As for the last three remaining picks? I don't really care. There's no one else worth taking. Ironically, Kofoed was the best player from the fifth round, so I guess you might as well take him to compete with Brooks.

My advice:

1. Use the 15th pick on Reggie Lewis.

2. Use the 61st pick on Kevin Gamble.

3. Use the 68th pick on Chris Dudley.

4. Use the 84th pick on Scott Brooks.

5. Use the 107th pick on Bart Kofoed.

6. Use the 130th pick on Art Sabb.

7. Use the 153rd pick on Keith Webster.

Ironically, I'm actually most excited about adding Chris Dudley to the Jazz. I think his personality would have been a perfect fit in Utah, and he would have been an ideal backup to Mark Eaton. Maybe even his replacement later down the line. Reggie Lewis certainly is an intriguing pick, but Dudley promises the reliable dependability that every team needs from a role player.

Redrafting the Jazz: 1988

I have been cursed by a witch to repeatedly travel back through time to relive every NBA draft. Fortunately, her spell sends me directly to the Utah Jazz war room on draft night and all the executives magically know I’m from the future and will do whatever I say. Unfortunately, the curse prevents me from seeing how my advice altered the future, as I am sent back to the previous year as soon as draft night ends.

June 28, 1988 – Madison Square Garden, New York City

Previous season:

The Stockton-Malone era officially began in the 1987-88 season. After spending three seasons on the bench, John Stockton was finally named the starter and immediately led the league in assists, earning a spot on the All-NBA Second Team and finishing second in voting for Most Improved Player (losing to Portland's Kevin Duckworth). Coincidentally, a couple of other Jazz players also took second-place in the end-of-season awards. Thurl Bailey fell to Dallas big man Roy Tarpley in Sixth Man of the Year and Mark Eaton was runner-up to Michael Jordan's Defensive Player of the Year. And of course, there was Karl Malone, who not only joined John Stockton on the All-NBA Second Team and Mark Eaton on the All-Defensive Second Team, but he also made his first All-Star team (curiously, Stockton wasn't named an All-Star until the 1988-89 season).

Anyway, it seems the Jazz were cursed by the number 2 this year, as they were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs. This was an especially heart-breaking loss, as they had pushed the eventual champion Lakers to seven games. Beyond the big four of Stockton, Malone, Bailey and Eaton, this roster needed quite a bit of work. The Kelly Tripucka experiment had failed miserably. Darrell Griffith's decline was on full display. And Eaton's backup, Melvin Turpin, was living up to his unfortunate nickname of Dinner Bell Mel.

The draft:

In the first round, the Jazz used their No. 17 pick on a center from Wyoming named Eric Leckner.

In the second round, Utah grabbed Iowa shooting guard Jeff Moe at the 42nd pick.

And in the third round (this my first time with three rounds!), the Jazz used the 67th pick on Oklahoma point guard Ricky Grace.

Analysis:

Leckner was an understandable pick at the time, and he certainly wasn't a terrible player. He spent eight years in the NBA, but never made much of an impact anywhere. After playing two years for the Jazz, Leckner was packaged in the three-way trade that brought Jeff Malone to Utah. Obviously we can do better. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to steer clear of some of the most tantalizing available prospects here. Vernon Maxwell and Anthony Mason had stellar careers, but I don't think they would have fit in well with Utah's culture. Rod Strickland was one of the best point guards of the '90s, but what's the point in drafting an over-qualified backup for a young Stockton? So I'm going to have to play it safe and make a boring, non-sexy pick: Andrew Lang. Eaton DID need a reliable backup, and Lang is the best available shot-blocker. His 12-year career wasn't particularly eye-popping, but I think it would have been great for Frank Layden (and/or Jerry Sloan) to be able to sub out one shot-blocker for another.

Jeff Moe never made Utah's roster — or any NBA roster, for that matter. He went to the CBA, but got cut after just 14 games. So he became a real estate agent. Fortunately, I have just the man who can be everything the Jazz thought Moe could give them and more: Steve Kerr. Although he was a perpetual backup, Kerr was one of the most accurate shooters in the game during his 15-year career. And he was an important piece of Chicago's and San Antonio's championship teams. As an added bonus, Kerr will go down in history as one of the greatest head coaches in basketball. And perhaps, even more important than his shooting, is his attitude and temperament. I believe he would have fit in perfectly with Utah.

Ricky Grace also never made the Jazz roster. But he actually enjoyed a lengthy and productive career in Australia — winning four championships and two MVP awards. He eventually did make it to the NBA, but only for a three-game stint with the Hawks. Luckily, I once again have the perfect upgrade: John Starks. This undrafted athletic guard became a fixture for the Knicks in the '90s, earning a spot in one All-Star Game, the All-Defensive Second Team once and the Sixth Man of the Year. Starks actually did play his final two seasons for the Jazz, but he was merely a shadow of his former self by that point.

My advice:

1. Use the 17th pick on Andrew Lang.

2. Use the 42nd pick on Steve Kerr.

3. Use the 67th pick on John Starks.

This was a crucial year for the Jazz, as they were setting the groundwork for a dynasty that would carry them through a decade of occasional dominance, but also quite a bit of disappointment. I think Lang's style would have made him the ideal backup for Eaton, Kerr would have been a perfect sixth man and Starks could have formed a rather exciting backcourt with Stockton.

Redrafting the Jazz: 1989

I have been cursed by a witch to repeatedly travel back through time to relive every NBA draft. Fortunately, her spell sends me directly to the Utah Jazz war room on draft night and all the executives magically know I’m from the future and will do whatever I say. Unfortunately, the curse prevents me from seeing how my advice altered the future, as I am sent back to the previous year as soon as draft night ends.

June 27, 1989 – Madison Square Garden, New York City

Previous season:

The 1988-89 season was a bizarre one for the Utah Jazz. Head coach Frank Layden abruptly retired after just 17 games, kickstarting Jerry Sloan's incredibly long run with the franchise. Joining John Stockton and Karl Malone in the All-Star Game (for the first and only time of his career) was Mark Eaton, who also won his second and final Defensive Player of the Year trophy. And Thurl Bailey finished second in voting for Sixth Man of the Year (losing to Phoenix's Eddie Johnson). The Jazz went 51-31 and won the Midwest Division for the second time in franchise history. But then disaster struck in the playoffs. Utah wasn't just upset by Golden State — it was a downright embarrassing sweep. No one on the Jazz could slow down Chris Mullin or Mitch Richmond.

The draft:

Seeking to fill Utah's immediate need at shooting guard/small forward, Scott Layden used the 21st pick on East Carolina swingman Blue Edwards.

With the 48th pick, the Jazz drafted a point guard from South Alabama named Junie Lewis.

Analysis:

Edwards was a smart pick for the Jazz. Although he wasn't a good enough shooter to be a true shooting guard, his defense and athleticism made him a competent (yet undersized) small forward. He made the All-Rookie Second Team and gave Utah three solid years ... before being inexplicably traded for Jay Humphries. The Jazz later realized the mistake they made and traded Humphries back for Edwards a couple of years later. But by then, Utah already had David Benoit, Bryon Russell and Jamie Watson, so Edwards saw very little playing time during his second stint with the Jazz. He was then promptly scooped up by the Vancouver Grizzlies in the 1995 expansion draft.

Despite the positives Edwards gave the Jazz, there were just enough deficiencies to his game that prevented him from having a longer, more impactful career in Utah. The tough thing is he was the best player available at his position. So I'm going to have to sadly tell Layden to try to fill that need through free agency and trades because the best remaining players are all big men. I went back and forth between Vlade Divac and Clifford Robinson, ultimately deciding that Robinson would provide the most versatility for Utah. A one-time All-Star, Sixth Man of the Year and two-time All-Defensive Second Team member, Robinson would have filled that Thurl Bailey role quite nicely with the added bonus of better defense and some 3-point shooting. 

Picking a backup for Stockton in the second round was a good idea, but Utah drafted the wrong point guard. Lewis never played in the NBA. But Boise State's Chris Childs did. After a lengthy stint in the minor leagues (and a trip to a rehab facility to combat his alcoholism), Childs eventually worked his way into the NBA and had a nice nine-year career punctuated by his tough defense and 3-point shooting. I have no idea how his career would have turned out had he been drafted by the Jazz, but I want to take that risk anyway.

My advice:

1. Use the 21st pick on Clifford Robinson.

2. Use the 48th pick on Chris Childs.

It felt a little strange looking at replacements for Eaton and Bailey right after they had such strong seasons. But I know both of them began to sharply decline once the '90s hit. And I think the versatile Robinson could help relieve both of those aging big men ... assuming he's able to find cannabis as readily available in Salt Lake City as he was in Portland. Hmmm ... on second thought, maybe I should have gone with Divac ...

Redrafting the Jazz: 1990

I have been cursed by a witch to repeatedly travel back through time to relive every NBA draft. Fortunately, her spell sends me directly to the Utah Jazz war room on draft night and all the executives magically know I’m from the future and will do whatever I say. Unfortunately, the curse prevents me from seeing how my advice altered the future, as I am sent back to the previous year as soon as draft night ends.

June 27, 1990 – Madison Square Garden, New York City

Previous season:

Thanks to the phenomenal play of Karl Malone and John Stockton, the 1989-90 Jazz won 55 games in the regular season. Unfortunately, they were stunned in the first round of the playoffs, losing to Phoenix in Game 5 off a last-second shot by Kevin Johnson. Utah's biggest weakness was quite obvious to general manager Scott Layden: shooting guard. Darrell Griffith was on his last legs and Bobby Hansen ... just wasn't that good. So instead of trying to solve this problem through the draft, Layden sought an immediate upgrade by trading for two-time All-Star Jeff Malone. 

The three-team trade was completed two days before the draft, and saw Utah sending Hansen, Eric Leckner, and both their 1990 draft picks to Sacramento in exchange for the Kings' second-round pick and Jeff Malone from Washington. It wasn't a bad trade, but it didn't help as much as the Jazz wanted. Regardless, the witch's curse prevents me from undoing that trade, so I'm left to work with Utah's single second-round pick in this draft.

The draft:

Sacramento's second-round pick ended up being No. 33 overall, which Utah used on Dartmouth big man Walter Palmer.

Analysis:

Palmer only played 28 games for Utah before heading over to Germany for a year. He returned to the NBA, but only lasted 20 more games with Dallas. So it's not going to be too hard to find an upgrade here — in fact, I luckily have two All-Stars to choose from.

One tempting candidate is Cedric Ceballos, who may have been a nice upgrade over Blue Edwards — at least on the offensive end. But I'm much more intrigued by Antonio Davis. Every team could use another strong rebounder/defender on their roster, especially the Jazz, who were dealing with an aging Mark Eaton and Thurl Bailey. Davis did spend a couple of seasons playing overseas before joining the Pacers, and I think that'd be just fine for Utah. Let him develop for a bit, then bring him over when you really need him.

My advice:

1. Use the 33rd pick on Antonio Davis.

Davis may have been a bit undersized, but he and Dale Davis formed one of the most toughest frontcourts in the late '90s. And by the early 2000s (when Antonio became an All-Star) a few key rule changes would greatly benefit the under-seven-foot big men of the league. I do feel slightly bad for making the Jazz wait longer with this pick, but I'd tell Scott Layden he had the right mindset by trying to win now with Stockton and Malone in their primes. I'm giving him the best player available in this draft — he should focus on making some more trades to bolster the roster with veterans.

Redrafting the Jazz: 1991

I have been cursed by a witch to repeatedly travel back through time to relive every NBA draft. Fortunately, her spell sends me directly to the Utah Jazz war room on draft night and all the executives magically know I’m from the future and will do whatever I say. Unfortunately, the curse prevents me from seeing how my advice altered the future, as I am sent back to the previous year as soon as draft night ends.

June 26, 1991 – Madison Square Garden, New York City

Previous season:

Bolstered by the addition of Jeff Malone, Utah went 54-28 in 1990-91 and reached the second round of the playoffs. The Jazz were crushed by Portland in five games, perhaps because their truly dreadful bench forced them to rely too much on the aging Mark Eaton and Thurl Bailey.

The draft:

With the 21st pick, the Jazz drafted Providence point guard Eric Murdock.

Utah then used the 48th pick on a center from Arizona State named Isaac Austin.

Analysis:

The Jazz front office was very excited to nab Murdock. He was the all-time NCAA career steals leader, and assistant coach Gordon Chiesa had briefly coached him at Providence. But Murdock played sparingly for Utah, only appearing in 50 games in his rookie season before he was traded to Milwaukee alongside Blue Edwards and a first-round pick. I get that the Jazz shifted to a win-now mentality after reaching the Western Conference Finals, but it still astounds me that they so willingly parted with a rookie and a first-round pick just to get rid of Edwards. Anyway, Murdock flourished with the Bucks. He was immediately named the started and finished second in voting for Most Improved Player of the Year (losing to Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf). Murdock had a couple of good years for Milwaukee until he sustained an eye injury that he never seemed to fully recover from. Still, he lasted nine years in the NBA as a solid backup point guard.

I think the Jazz gave up too soon on Murdock. However, I think they could have drafted someone better who would have made a bigger impact right away — Rick Fox. He had a 13-year career split between the Celtics and Lakers, shining especially during L.A.'s three-peat of the early 2000s. He was a pretty good defender, but was mostly known for his shooting, which would have helped Utah tremendously.

Austin, much like Luther Wright, was a big man who struggled with his weight. The Jazz apparently put incentives in his contract to stay down at 275 pounds, but he rarely hit that mark and didn't get much playing time before Utah finally cut him after two unproductive years. But the best part of his stint with the Jazz was Karl Malone. The two became close friends and Malone personally helped Austin lose 40 pounds in 40 days after he fell out of the NBA with a weight of 340 pounds. In 1996, Austin signed with Miami, ending his two seasons abroad. To the surprise of everyone, Austin was in terrific shape and finally living up to his potential. He was named Most Improved Player of the Year and enjoyed three more very solid seasons in the NBA before eventually slowing down and petering out in 2002. Curiously, he never lasted longer than two years anywhere, even during his peak.

It is nice that Karl Malone helped Austin turn his career around, but that came too late to help the Jazz. So I'm going to suggest Utah draft someone else. Since I passed on Murdock, I'll take a different point guard — Darrell Armstrong. He started his career in the minor leagues and slowly worked his way up the Orlando depth chart. Armstrong had a breakout year in 1999, winning both the Most Improved Player and Sixth Man of the Year trophies. A fierce defender and solid shooter, I think he would have excelled for the Jazz (as long as they don't get impatient and trade him away too soon).

My advice:

1. Use the 21st pick on Rick Fox.

2. Use the 48th pick on Darrell Armstrong.

I'm sad I wasn't able to find a good big man for the Jazz this year, but I think Fox and Armstrong would have been great additions. I suppose I should also note that Utah signed undrafted rookie David Benoit during the 1991 offseason. He became a fairly important player for the Jazz until he tore his Achilles in 1996. He wasn't bad, but he wasn't great, either. I think Fox would have been a substantial upgrade.

Redrafting the Jazz: 1992

I have been cursed by a witch to repeatedly travel back through time to relive every NBA draft. Fortunately, her spell sends me directly to the Utah Jazz war room on draft night and all the executives magically know I’m from the future and will do whatever I say. Unfortunately, the curse prevents me from seeing how my advice altered the future, as I am sent back to the previous year as soon as draft night ends.

June 24, 1992 – Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon

Previous season:

The Jazz got off to a slightly rocky start to the 1991-92 season. They were 7-6 until they abruptly traded longtime sixth man Thurl Bailey and their 1992 second-round pick to Minnesota for Tyrone Corbin. That turned out to be exactly what Utah needed, as Bailey was on the decline and Corbin was still in his prime. The Jazz finished the season at 55-27 and, more importantly, reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history. Utah ultimately lost to Portland in six games, and the Blazers went on to lose to Chicago in six games, as well. But still, it was a massive achievement for the Jazz, and general manager Scott Layden wanted to build on this momentum and maximize the sweet prime years of John Stockton and Karl Malone.

The draft:

Layden pulled off another surprising trade, this time on Draft Day, sending the 23rd pick, Blue Edwards and Eric Murdock to Milwaukee for Jay Humphries and Larry Krystkowiak. The Bucks used the pick on Lee Mayberry.

Utah's second-round pick ended up being No. 51, which the Timberwolves used on Tim Burroughs. Layden didn't try to acquire any other picks for this draft, making this the first year during my witch's curse where the Jazz didn't actually draft someone. But I think I can change that.

Analysis:

Due to the nature of the curse, I'm unable to prevent the Bailey-Corbin trade from happening. (And I probably wouldn't stop it even if I could. It just made too much sense.) However, I think I can stop the Edwards-Humphries trade. It really was quite baffling that Utah made that deal in the first place. Edwards was a fan favorite who excelled at dunking and defending. He started 81 games at small forward, but he was a bit undersized at 6-foot-4. However, his relationship with coach Jerry Sloan deteriorated by the end of the season and Edwards lost his starting job in the playoffs to rookie David Benoit. So maybe moving him was ultimately in the best interests of the team.

However, I don't think Layden made the right trade by a long shot. It is understandable to want veteran backups for Stockton and Malone, but Humphries and Krystkowiak really didn't deliver. Krystkowiak only spent one mediocre season in Utah, while Humphries limped along for two and a half years before being traded for — get this — Blue Edwards! That was completely Utah's way of acknowledging that they messed up this trade. And we can't forget Eric Murdock, either. The rookie point guard actually went on to have a fairly decent career, finishing second in Most Improved Player voting in his first season out of Utah. So yeah, I'm killing that trade and keeping the 23rd pick.

The Jazz didn't miss anything with Mayberry. He had a quiet six-year career as a permanent backup on some pretty bad Milwaukee and Vancouver teams. The guy drafted right after Mayberry did turn out to be an All-Star, but I don't think Latrell Sprewell would have done too well in Utah. In fact, I'd say there's a good chance Sloan would have straight-up murdered Sprewell with his bare hands. So instead, I'm going to go with a much calmer individual with P.J. Brown. And I'm not doing that just because he won both the Citizenship Award and Sportsmanship Award. He was named to the All-Defensive Second Team three times in his 15-year career and would have helped fill the void left by Thurl Bailey (albeit with less offensive prowess).

My advice:

1. Keep the 23rd pick and use it on P.J. Brown.

I don't know if I would have traded Blue Edwards. But I certainly know I wouldn't have traded him away with a promising rookie AND a first-round pick for two washed-up veterans who would just come off the bench. I appreciate the win-now mentality, but you can't completely forsake the future. I think P.J. Brown could have done quite well in Utah.

Redrafting the Jazz: 1993

I have been cursed by a witch to repeatedly travel back through time to relive every NBA draft. Fortunately, her spell sends me directly to the Utah Jazz war room on draft night and all the executives magically know I’m from the future and will do whatever I say. Unfortunately, the curse prevents me from seeing how my advice altered the future, as I am sent back to the previous year as soon as draft night ends.

June 30, 1993 – The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan

Previous season:

John Stockton and Karl Malone were insanely good at this time period. Both were members of the Dream Team of the 1992 Olympics and were fittingly crowned co-All-Star Game MVPs in Salt Lake City in 1993. Unfortunately, their supporting cast wasn't too great. The Jazz had to rely too much on Jeff Malone, Tyrone Corbin, and Jay Humphries. General manager Scott Layden would eventually upgrade each of those players through trades, but that would take a while. In the meantime, Utah's biggest weakness was at center. Longtime stalwart Mark Eaton had finally reached the end of his career and his primary backup, Mike Brown, was equally ineffective. As such, the Jazz went 47-35 in 1992-93 and were knocked out of the first round of the playoffs by Seattle in five games.

The draft:

Utah used the 18th pick on a center from Seton Hall named Luther Wright.

With the 45th pick, the Jazz drafted Bryon Russell, a small forward from Long Beach State.

Analysis:

Wright was one of the most disappointing draft picks in Jazz history. He showed up to training camp 55 pounds above his listed playing weight and only appeared in 15 during the 1993-94 season. In January 1994, he was found by the police at a truck stop at 4 a.m., smashing car windows and banging on trash cans. He was sent to a mental institution, diagnosed with bipolar disorder and his NBA career came to a tragically short end. To their credit, the Jazz agreed to pay out the remainder of his $5 million in small installments over the next 25 years. Unfortunately, that money didn't actually help Wright. He wasted much of it on drugs and spent several stints living homeless, contracting diseases that required him to have toes amputated. All in all, a very, very sad story. I almost feel bad recommending the Jazz draft someone else, but it's not their job to help someone like this. And they were poorly equipped to helping him anyway. There's no way to prevent the tragedy of Luther Wright.

Replacing Wright was surprisingly difficult for me. I have two All-Star point guards available to me — Sam Cassell and Nick Van Exel. Stockton didn't need an incredible backup and it's far too soon to start thinking about a replacement for him. But Cassell really tempts me because I think he could have thrived in that Humphries role of backing up Stockton and occasionally starting alongside him in smaller lineups. It certainly is an intriguing prospect, but I just can't bring myself to pull the trigger on it. The Jazz desperately needed a center. This is the '90s, where the only teams that won either had a dominant center (like Hakeem Olajuwon) or a halfway decent center (like Bill Cartwright). I can't risk messing up Stockton and Malone's prime with wild experiments — I have to take the sure thing, no matter how boring it is. And that pick is Ervin Johnson. He played 13 years in the NBA and was a fairly decent rebounder and shot-blocker. Definitely not a flashy player by any means, but seemly dependable and reliable enough to solidify Utah's biggest weakness in their lineup.

Utah's second-round pick, however, was a lot easier for me. Russell was one of the best picks in Jazz history. He filled an immediate need during his rookie season, and just a couple of years later became an indispensable member of the team. It really is hard imagining the late-90s Jazz without Russell. Granted, I always wished he could have been just a little bit better, but beggars can't be choosers this late in the draft. There's no one better available, so for better and worse, I'm sticking with High-Flyin' Bryon.

My advice:

1. Use the 18th pick on Ervin Johnson.

2. Use the 45th pick on Bryon Russell.

I'm still debating picking Johnson over Cassell. Part of me says I should just draft the best player available and let Layden work it all out through trades. But trades can be fickle things and I want to maximize the potential of two Dream Teamers in their prime. Sadly, I'll never know if playing it safe was the right call. I'm being pulled back to 1992, where I get to do this all over again.

Redrafting the Jazz: 1994

I have been cursed by a witch to repeatedly travel back through time to relive every NBA draft. Fortunately, her spell sends me directly to the Utah Jazz war room on draft night and all the executives magically know I’m from the future and will do whatever I say. Unfortunately, the curse prevents me from seeing how my advice altered the future, as I am sent back to the previous year as soon as draft night ends.

June 29, 1994 – Hoosier Dome, Indianapolis

Previous season:

The Jazz went 53-29 in 1993-94, but by far the most significant moment of the season came at the trade deadline. Utah traded Jeff Malone and a first-round pick to Philadelphia for Jeff Hornacek, Sean Green (who was waived after playing just one minute for the Jazz) and a second-round pick (which was later packaged in a trade for Blue Edwards). This was one of those rare franchise-altering trades. Hornacek proved to be the perfect compliment to John Stockton and Karl Malone, not only in skillset, but also in temperament and attitude. He really was the missing piece that helped lead Utah to the Finals ... eventually. The Jazz did reach the Western Conference Finals in 1994 — mostly due to Denver having dramatically upset the league-leading Sonics in the first round. Utah was crushed by the eventual champion Rockets in five games.

The draft:

Due to to the aforementioned Hornacek trade, Utah didn't have a first-round pick. Philadelphia used the 20th pick on B.J. Tyler, whose career bizarrely ended after just one year because he apparently fell asleep with an ice pack on his ankle, which caused him severe nerve damage.

The Jazz did have their second-round pick (No. 47), which they used on a small forward from South Carolina named Jamie Watson.

Analysis:

Utah certainly had a weakness at small forward, splitting time between Tyrone Corbin, David Benoit and a young Bryon Russell. But Watson didn't really help much. He played sparingly for the Jazz for two-and-a-half seasons before being waived. He tried to revitalize his NBA career with Dallas and Miami, but it just didn't work out. Unfortunately, there aren't many decent options for me here. My best recommendation is point guard Anthony Goldwire. He was constantly in and out of the league — ultimately playing 266 games for nine different teams, interspersed with trips to Spain, Greece and Italy. But he seemed to be a fairly decent shooter and, I don't know, he might have been a halfway decent third-string point guard for the Jazz.

My advice:

1. Use the 47th pick on Anthony Goldwire.

Some years, there's just really nothing I can do to help. That's the limitations of my witch's curse. So I'll just shrug my shoulders and start preparing for 1993.