Jazz inquire about trading up for AJ Dybantsa

The Utah Jazz are doing what teams in their position usually do when a draft has a consensus headliner and they are one spot short of him: they are checking the price. Utah, which landed the No. 2 pick in the May 10 NBA draft lottery, has made inquiries about moving up to No. 1, according to multiple reports this week, with BYU forward AJ Dybantsa the player most often attached to those talks. Washington controls the decision because the Wizards won the lottery and own the top selection in the June 23 first round. Utah’s interest is not hard to trace. Dybantsa spent his final high school season at Utah Prep and his lone college season at BYU, where he averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists before declaring for the draft on April 23. (deseret.com) ### Why is Utah even calling if it already has the No. 2 pick? The Jazz came out of the lottery with the second selection after entering with an 11.5% chance at No. 1, giving them their highest draft position of the rebuild. Austin Ainge, Utah’s president of basketball operations, said after the lottery that moving up to No. 1 or moving back remained possible and that the team would listen to offers. (nba.com) The gap between No. 1 and No. 2 matters because Dybantsa has been widely projected at the top of this class. NBA.com, in announcing his draft entry, described him as one of the top prospects in the field, and post-lottery coverage has consistently linked him to Washington at No. 1. ### What exactly has been reported about contact with Washington? (deseret.com) Marc Spears of Andscape reported this week that Utah had already touched base with Washington about a possible swap of the top two picks, a detail that was then picked up across other outlets. Those reports describe exploratory contact rather than an agreed framework, and no terms have been publicly disclosed. (nba.com) Ryan Smith, the Jazz owner, added to the public discussion on May 14 when he said, “Everything should be on the table,” when asked about the possibility of trading up for Dybantsa. Smith also said draft dealings are harder now because front offices across the league are better prepared, according to reports of his remarks. (lawlessrepublic.com) ### Why is Dybantsa the player at the center of this? Dybantsa, a 6-foot-9 BYU freshman from Brockton, Massachusetts, led the nation in scoring at 25.5 points per game in 2025-26 and entered the draft after one college season. BYU lists him as a consensus first-team All-American and Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year. (sports.yahoo.com) Utah’s connection to him goes beyond draft-board ranking. Dybantsa played at Utah Prep before enrolling at BYU, and that in-state path has made the Jazz a natural team for rival executives and media to mention as trade-up speculation has accelerated. ### Is Washington actually open to moving the pick? (nba.com) Michael Winger, Washington’s president, has said the Wizards would consider trading down from No. 1 rather than treat the selection as a fixed decision, according to post-lottery reporting. That does not mean a deal is likely, but it establishes that Washington has not publicly shut the door. (byucougars.com) The Wizards have also been conducting their standard draft process. Spears reported Friday that Dybantsa met with Washington in Chicago during pre-draft camp, while also meeting with several other teams, including Utah. ### What happens next before draft night? The NBA draft combine is underway in Chicago, where team meetings and medical reviews often shape trade discussions as much as workouts do. (bleacherreport.com) Utah and Washington have more than five weeks before the first round to decide whether the top of the board stays as is or changes hands. June 23 is the next hard date. (sports.yahoo.com) The first round will be held that night in New York, with the second round on June 24, and the Wizards and Jazz currently hold the first two picks. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2)