This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Some loved it when the Utah Jazz picked Trey Lyles with the No. 12 pick in Thursday's NBA Draft. Some didn't love it so much.

Indeed, fan reaction - if twitter is to be believed - was very much mixed on Lyles, the power forward from Kentucky, whom the Jazz selected at the tail end of the lottery.

Jazz fans wanted shooting. Lyles shot 14 percent from 3-point range in his one year of college basketball. Jazz fans saw Devin Booker - perhaps the best pure shooter in the draft - still on the board. And with Utah being a team that absolutely needs more shooting, fans voiced their collective displeasure via social media.

Here's the thing. The Jazz also can use more playmaking, and Lyles is just that - a playmaker. He's a guy who can be a matchup issue for opponents with seasoning at the NBA level. And he's someone who can develop into a shooter with more range.

And what Utah needs is versatility. From the viewpoint of this blog, Booker doesn't offer that. He's someone who will play one position as an NBA player - shooting guard. The Jazz already have two shooting guards in Alec Burks and Rodney Hood.

"Those are always tough decisions," Jazz General Manager Dennis Lindsey said. "At the end of the day, we felt really comfortable with Trey and his multi-skills. We'll stand by the pick and in time you guys will see how versatile he is."

Had Booker been more of a small forward who can play multiple spots, that may have tilted the scales in his favor. But had the Jazz taken Booker, he essentially becomes the third shooting guard, without a natural path to significant playing time. You don't want to waste a lottery pick on a guy who doesn't have a natural path to playing time.

But does Lyles? He will be behind Derrick Favors for sure. He will probably be behind Trevor Booker, because Booker will probably be back. But here's the thing: Lyles can swing down to small forward, and he can even play center in a small lineup scenario. Lyles has warts, and he has improving to do. But if he reaches his ceiling, he can be a versatile and creative offensive weapon.

And at that point in the draft - without any real pressing needs - the Jazz went with best player available.

Tony Jones