Utah Jazz Select Taurean Prince In NBA Draft, Trade Him To Atlanta Hawks

With the 12th pick in the NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz selected Taurean Prince, according to SB Nation. The Jazz sent him to the Atlanta Hawks in a three way trade. The Hawks sent Jeff Teague to the Indiana Pacers. The Jazz acquired George Hill from the Pacers, and the Hawks received the 12th pick in the draft from Utah.

Taurean Prince spent four years playing at the University of Baylor. He spent his first two seasons coming off the bench. Prince won the Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2015. He had a breakout season his senior year. During Prince’s senior year, he averaged 16 points, six rebounds, and 2.3 assists.

Taurean Prince is 6’8? 220-pounds small forward who can play both the forward positions. He is a very versatile player with a 7-foot wingspan who can guard multiple positions. Some people believe that Prince has a very bright future in the NBA as a 3-and-D role player.

With the 12th pick of the #NBADraft, Utah Jazz select Taurean Prince, SF out of Baylor. pic.twitter.com/EDWNJm9UWx

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 24, 2016

During his time at Baylor, head coach Scott Drew played a lot of zones. Taurean Prince will need some time to adjust to playing full-time man-to-man defense. He has all the tools to be a player who can defend both guards and effectively switch on screens. Prince can also hold his own against the bigger players in the post. He is the type of player that most coaches love to have.

Taurean Prince’s offensive limitations will most likely keep him from being a star in the NBA. He has the ability to handle the ball and make some plays, but he shouldn’t be expected to create shots for the Atlanta Hawks.

Taurean Prince might be stepping into a great situation with the Atlanta Hawks. They have been known to develop players at an all-star level since Mike Budenholzer took over the team.

DeMarre Carroll was the starter for the Atlanta Hawks a couple of years ago. With the Hawks, he developed into one of the best 3-and-D players in the NBA. Carroll played a key role for the team two seasons ago. He helped lead the Hawks to a franchise record with 60 wins, earning them the first seed in the Eastern Conference.

DeMarre Carroll’s play with the Atlanta Hawks earned him a four year deal worth $60 million with the Toronto Raptors.

With DeMarre Carroll gone, the Atlanta Hawks were looking for someone to fill that void. Kent Bazemore stepped up and developed into a very good 3-and-D player in the NBA. He averaged 11.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. Bazemore is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He is due a very significant pay raise after his first season as a starter.

Taurean Prince could be the starting small forward for the Atlanta Hawks next season if they can’t resign Kent Bazemore. Some believe Prince is a big athletic wing in the DeMarre Carroll mold. He just needs to develop into a consistent 3-point shooter.

The Atlanta Hawks moved up in the NBA Draft to select Taurean Prince with the 12th pick. The Hawks decided to trade away Jeff Teague. They were very decisive and knew who they wanted to select. Prince was projected to drop into the late 20’s after a poor pre-draft.

The Atlanta Hawks got exactly what they needed in the NBA Draft. They have been looking for a replacement for DeMarre Carroll since his departure. There weren’t a ton of pro ready two-way wings in the draft. Taurean Prince has all the potential to be a very good 3-and-D player in the NBA someday.

[Photo by Mike Strobe/Getty Images]