NBA Mock Draft: Utah Jazz Select Cleanthony Early From Witchita State

NBA Mock Draft Pick #23, Cleanthony Early, Forward, Witchita State

SB Nation's Jazz blog SLC Dunk explains the pick:

One of the main targets in the draft for the Utah Jazz was to get a solid wing player who can be inserted into the rotation right away. They get that with Early. The Jazz also need scoring, three point range, and any type of insurance in case swingman Gordon Hayward signs elsewhere during free agency. Early isn't your prototypical forward, but he does enough to warrant being picked at #23. The Wichita State sophomore showed a lot of his game during the NCAA tournament but in the right system he can further evolve. Utah is stacked inside and he will have plenty of bigs to supplement his defensive efforts if he is beat, and on the offensive side of the ball he gives the team a player who can make the athletic plays the team has been missing over the last few seasons. He would be a huge change from Gordon Hayward who could do so much with the ball in his hands. But new coach Quin Snyder is going to put the ball in Trey Burke's hands, and Early ability to spot up adequately will become a successful relationship in Utah.

More: Full NBA Draft Coverage

1 Cleveland Cavaliers: ANDREW WIGGINS 
2 Milwaukee Bucks JABARI PARKER
3 Philadelphia 76ers DANTE EXUM
4 Orlando Magic JULIUS RANDLE
5 Utah Jazz JOEL EMBIID
6 Minnesota Timberwolves (Via Celtics) AARON GORDON
7 Los Angeles Lakers NOAH VONLEH
8 Philadelphia 76ers (via Kings) DARIO SARIC
9 Charlotte Hornets DOUG MCDERMOTT
10 Chicago Bulls (via 76ers) MARCUS SMART
11 Denver Nuggets ZACH LAVINE 
12 Orlando Magic TYLER ENNIS
13 Phoenix Suns (via Timberwolves) ADREIAN PAYNE
14 Phoenix Suns NIK STAUSKAS
15 Atlanta Hawks GARY HARRIS
16 Sacramento Kings (via Chicago Bulls) ELFRID PAYTON
17 Orlando Magic (via Boston Celtics) JUSUF NURKIC
18 Minnesota Timberwolves (via Phoenix Suns) KYLE ANDERSON
19 Philadelphia 76ers (via Chicago Bulls) JAMES YOUNG
20 Dallas Mavericks (via Toronto Raptors) CLINT CAPELA
21 Oklahoma City Thunder PJ HAIRSTON
22 Memphis Grizzlies RODNEY HOOD
23 Utah Jazz CLEANTHONY EARLY
24 Charlotte Hornets
25 Houston Rockets
26 Miami Heat
27 Phoenix Suns
28 Los Angeles Clippers
29 Oklahoma City Thunder
30 San Antonio Spurs