NBA Mock Draft: Utah Jazz Take Jakob Poeltl From Utah

NBA Mock Draft Pick #12 -- Jakob Poeltl, Center, Utah

SBNation's Utah Jazz blog, SLC Dunk, explains their pick:

With the 12th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft the Utah Jazz select University of Utah bigman Jakob Poeltl. (YAK-ob PER-tle) The 20 year old Austrian is a throwback big man in an era of tweeners who can space the floor. The 7'1 sophomore finished last season as the winner of the Pete Newell Big Man Award, also won the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, was the PAC-12 Player of the Year, and was a consensus 2nd Team All-American. Nationally he is recognized as the best center in this draft. His college coach was former Utah Jazz forward Larry Krystkowiak, and as a result, few teams know him as well as the Jazz do. Thankfully, it seems like few teams enjoy physically big big men who would rather get rebounds and score in the paint as well as the Jazz do.

Last season Utah failed to make the playoffs. Even casual observers can point to Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert both missing 20+ games as a major reason why. If anything, Poeltl gives the Jazz depth, talent, potential, and insurance in the paint if their top bigs are injured again. He's not the most polished gem out there, and isn't a freak athlete. But he does displace Jeff Withey and Tibor Pleiss on the big man depth chart. He will be a rotation player on a good team, and in Utah he doesn't have to be great immediately. He'll find his place in time, and do it against bench bigs. His passing ability and court vision will be an asset in Quin Snyder's system. Not a bad fit.

Ridiculous Upside analysis: After a batch of solid picks, this selection by the Jazz is a little questionable given the team's already solid front-court. That's especially due to the team needing additional depth at the wing after trading Gordon Hayward. However, Jakob Poeltl's playing style fits well with that of the Jazz, who have stood as one of the best defenses in the NBA since Quin Snyder's arrival. Alongside that, he's one of the most NBA-ready players in this year's draft class, which would immediately help the Utah Jazz.

1) Philadelphia 76ers: BEN SIMMONS

2) Los Angeles Lakers: BRANDON INGRAM

3) Phoenix Suns (From Boston): DRAGAN BENDER

4) Utah Jazz (From Phoenix): JAMAL MURRAY

5) Denver Nuggets (from Minnesota) : BUDDY HIELD

6) New Orleans Pelicans: KRIS DUNN

7) Minnesota Timberwolves (from Denver): DENZEL VALENTINE

8) Sacramento Kings: JAYLEN BROWN

9) Toronto Raptors: MARQUESE CHRISS

10) Milwaukee Bucks: DEYONTA DAVIS

11) Sacramento Kings (From Orlando): TIMOTHE LUWAWU

12) Utah Jazz: JAKOB POELTL

13) Phoenix Suns:

14) Chicago Bulls:

15) Denver Nuggets:

16) Boston Celtics:

17) Memphis Grizzlies:

18) Detroit Pistons:

19) Denver Nuggets:

20) Indiana Pacers:

21) Atlanta Hawks:

22) Charlotte Hornets:

23) Utah Jazz (from Boston):

24) Philadelphia 76ers:

25) Los Angeles Clippers:

26) Philadelphia 76ers:

27) Toronto Raptors:

28) Utah Jazz (from Phoenix) :

29) San Antonio Spurs:

30) Golden State Warriors: