The worst decision the Utah Jazz have made in the last 5 years

An ESPN article by Zach Kram identified the Utah Jazz's biggest roster mistake since 2020 as not trading Lauri Markkanen after his breakout Most Improved Player season in 2022-23, arguing his trade value was significantly higher then before his performance declined and he signed a new contract.

However, the article author contends that the Jazz's worst decision was actually made in 2020: drafting Udoka Azubuike 27th overall and then, within 48 hours, signing Derrick Favors to a three-year, $27 million deal using their full mid-level exception. Both moves proved detrimental. Azubuike was a bust, and Favors failed to meet expectations, forcing the Jazz to attach a valuable first-round pick to trade his contract to the Oklahoma City Thunder the following year.

This owed first-round pick has become a major burden during the Jazz's rebuild. It was top-10 protected in 2024, rolled over to be top-10 protected in 2025, and after the Jazz retained their 2025 pick, it is now top-eight protected in 2026. The obligation only expires if it doesn't convey by 2026.

The author argues that Markkanen's statistical decline is partly misleading, attributing it to the team's rebuilding context rather than solely his ability. Crucially, the Jazz's failure with the Azubuike pick and Favors signing, leading to the loss of a future first-round pick to a rising Western Conference rival, severely hampered the team. This limited their flexibility after trading stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, potentially forcing them into strategies like intentionally losing games ("bottoming out") and restricting their ability to build properly around Markkanen or make a deeper playoff run before the rebuild.