It’s clear that a lot of the NBA is starting to figure out that the Utah Jazz might be on the verge of a special season. But they’re not getting just how good it might be.
But they’re missing the biggest point of all of this. Utah has a team that would have been a playoff team last year if they’d pushed as hard as they could. That core, which added a former DPOY/All-Star in Jaren Jackson Jr., is adding a player who could be a top-ten player in the NBA. If anything, it’s very likely.
Darryn Peterson is not getting enough buzz for how good he’s going to be this upcoming season. You name it with Peterson, and he’s able to do it at a high level. Even the numbers that aren’t as high as you’d like have context that shows a chance to improve once he steps on the floor with Utah.
For example, everything that Peterson did in college has to be viewed with the understanding that Peterson was the #1 option with an extremely high usage percentage of 30.9. You also have to remember that Peterson was dealing with documented cramping issues, an ankle sprain, and a hamstring pull. All those injuries had him playing tentatively for multiple games. When he did play, opposing offenses focused on him, and he still managed to put up awesome efficiency.
For the college season, Peterson shot 38.2% from three. That was off the bounce and off the catch. It’s the stat that has to make Jazz fans as excited as anything. That ability to shoot the ball regardless of pressure will only get better. It’s safe to assume that Darryn Peterson will be one of the best shooters in the NBA.
Some numbers show a player with the potential to develop into one of the elite three-level scorers in the league. Peterson shot 48.7% from two. It’s a slightly above-average number, but it’s nothing to sniff at. Also, Peterson shot 59.7% at the rim. That’s also above average, but not necessarily elite. As I mentioned, Peterson was dealing with cramping, an ankle, and a hamstring, and still put up solid numbers at the rim and on 2PT shots. What happens when Peterson is on the floor with elite talent around him? Utah has the potential to have 5-out lineups with shooters all over the floor. At Kansas, Peterson was playing with multiple non-shooting bigs. The paint was almost never open. When it was, Peterson would take advantage. And even with a clogged paint in the stifling college basketball setting, he still put up good numbers. The pull-up two was good for him, and he finished at a good percentage.
Again, what happens when he has NBA spacing with elite talent around him? What you’re going to have is a season that will shock the NBA. There’s a lot of attention being given to Cam Boozer, and he’s leading in the odds at FanDuel to be the ROY, with Peterson not too far behind. But that’s a mistake. Darryn Peterson is going into a winning situation, and he’s not going to put up empty stats. His stats are going to be high-level, and they’ll be the type of stats that lead to winning. Those stats should also improve. Don’t be surprised if Peterson not only has a ROY season, but an all-star caliber season as well.
Yes, I’m about as positive as they come, but the numbers paint a picture of a potentially incredible season. If Peterson is as locked in as he appears, Jazz fans are in for a fun ride.
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