A premier rim protector provides the ultimate safety net for Utah's prized rookie, allowing the explosive guard to navigate growing pains while anchoring a new-look defensive unit.
The Utah Jazz drafted Darryn Peterson to find out whether he can become the face of their franchise.
Jaren Jackson Jr. might give them the freedom to find out faster.
Peterson enters his rookie season carrying expectations rarely seen from a Jazz draft pick in recent decades. Utah selected the 19-year-old No. 2 overall in June, and everything about his projected role suggests the Jazz plan to put plenty on his plate from Day 1.
That comes with consequences.
Young guards make mistakes. They get caught on screens, lose assignments and learn pretty quickly that mistakes that went unpunished in college become points in the NBA.
Utah also has one of the league's most accomplished defensive big men positioned to play behind Peterson.
Jackson's résumé speaks for itself — Defensive Player of the Year in 2023, three All-Defensive selections and two seasons leading the NBA in blocks per game.
The Jazz paid a significant price to get him, too.
Utah sent Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang and three future first-round picks to Memphis in February as part of the eight-player blockbuster that brought Jackson, John Konchar, Jock Landale and Vince Williams Jr. to Salt Lake City.
Utah barely got to see what Jackson could provide.
He appeared in three games for the Jazz before undergoing surgery to remove a localized growth from his left knee in February, bringing his first season in Utah to an early end.
His return could be particularly important for Peterson.
A legitimate rim protector gives young perimeter defenders room to make mistakes. Peterson will get beaten off the dribble. He'll make incorrect reads. There will be possessions where he's learning NBA defensive concepts in real time.
A healthy Jackson gives him a proven defender waiting behind him when those moments arrive.
That could make Peterson's rookie season easier for Utah to evaluate.
The Jazz need to learn whether Peterson can create efficient offense against NBA defenses, operate alongside Keyonte George, make decisions with the ball and eventually become the offensive engine they envisioned when selecting him second overall.
Peterson already knows what's coming.
After Summer League, he said George warned him that he was going to be "thrown into that fire" once the regular season arrived.
Jackson gives Utah more freedom to leave him there.
Will Hardy can hand Peterson substantial responsibility while continuing to challenge him defensively. Utah has already made that development a priority — Hardy even showed Peterson film of Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed after Summer League as an example of the anticipation and playmaking he wants the rookie to bring on that end.
Jackson gives the Jazz an established back-line defender who can help while Peterson learns.
And after investing three first-round picks to acquire him, Utah has every reason to find out how Jackson fits into this next stage of the rebuild.
Peterson's rookie season should expose him to the difficult parts of NBA basketball. Utah needs those reps to learn what it has in its potential franchise player.
Jackson can give Peterson some room to make mistakes along the way.
The Jazz drafted Peterson to determine whether they finally found the player capable of leading their next era.
Jackson might make answering that question a whole lot easier.
