{"id":195151,"date":"2026-05-12T09:30:33","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T13:30:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=195151"},"modified":"2026-05-13T03:15:23","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T07:15:23","slug":"jazz-trade-up-for-aj-dybantsa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/05\/12\/jazz-trade-up-for-aj-dybantsa\/","title":{"rendered":"Will The Jazz Trade Up For AJ Dybantsa At The Explosive 2026 NBA Draft?"},"content":{"rendered":"

UTAH \u2014 The closer we get to the 2026 NBA Draft, the harder it becomes to ignore the possibility that the Utah Jazz<\/strong> trade up for AJ Dybantsa<\/a> especially after landing the second overall pick.<\/a> Utah finally experienced lottery luck for once, moving up with their own selection for the first time in franchise history, but even that might not stop them from becoming aggressive. Teams don\u2019t stumble into relationships this deep with a generational prospect and then suddenly become passive observers when draft night arrives.<\/p>\n

Will The Jazz Trade Up For AJ Dybantsa At The Explosive 2026 NBA Draft?<\/h2>\n
\"Will
Jan 30, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; (from left to right) Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith and CEO of basketball operations Danny Ainge and president of basketball operations Austin Ainge and general manager Justin Zanik speak before a game against the Brooklyn Nets at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Make no mistake, the Jazz have real ties to Dybantsa. Before he even committed to BYU, Jazz owner Ryan Smith was vocal about wanting him in Provo. Smith has heavily invested in BYU athletics over the years and made it clear he was willing to help however possible during Dybantsa\u2019s recruitment. College basketball recruiting in 2026 barely resembles the old world anyway.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they need my help, I’m going to help them,\u201d Smith told ESPN<\/a> months before Dybantsa committed to the Cougars. \u201cI owe everything to BYU and I’m not going to say no. And they know that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, the same player Smith helped bring to BYU could become the centerpiece of Utah\u2019s future. Dybantsa has maintained close ties with the organization throughout his time there. He trained on Utah\u2019s practice court before the 2025-26 season. That\u2019s not normal access for a prospect. Front offices spend years trying to manufacture comfort levels with stars. Utah built one before Dybantsa even entered the league.<\/p>\n

Why Utah Has The Assets To Make A Serious Move<\/h3>\n

Washington Wizards<\/a> president Michael Winger already admitted publicly that this is \u201cnot a savior moment\u201d and suggested the Wizards would consider trading down if they believe multiple prospects sit in the same tier. That kind of statement is basically an invite for the Jazz to come to the negotiation table.<\/p>\n

The cleanest framework would involve<\/a> the No. 2 pick, a couple of future swaps and Ace Bailey<\/a>. It\u2019s almost forgotten now because the news cycle devours itself every six hours, but\u00a0Bailey reportedly preferred landing in Washington before last year\u2019s draft. Bailey\u2019s camp avoided workouts with several interested teams<\/a> in hopes of steering him toward the Wizards. Utah drafted him anyway at No. 5, betting on upside over circumstance.<\/p>\n

That could matter now. Bailey remains an immensely talented prospect with star upside, and if Washington still likes him, Utah suddenly has a legitimate centerpiece to dangle in negotiations. The Wizards could leave the 2026 NBA draft with a premium young talent in Darryn Peterson<\/a> at two while gaining another high-ceiling prospect in Bailey.<\/p>\n

The second framework might be as interesting. Instead of Bailey, Utah could offer the No. 2 pick, a couple of swaps, an unprotected first-round pick and Brice Sensabaugh.<\/a> Quietly, Sensabaugh has become one of the more intriguing young scorers on Utah\u2019s roster.<\/p>\n

Why Brice Sensabaugh Could Appeal To Washington<\/h3>\n

At first glance, Sensabaugh\u2019s career 38% shooting from three already stands out. But those numbers become even more impressive when you remember how rough his rookie season circumstances were. A knee injury caused him to miss Summer League and part of preseason<\/a> before his first year, likely contributing to his early struggles when he shot just 29.6% from behind the arc. Since then, he has looked far more comfortable and increasingly dangerous as a movement shooter.<\/p>\n