The Jazz embraced a major rebuild last season with the blockbuster trades of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert.
For a good portion of the year, the Jazz didn’t play like a team headed for the lottery. They hung around the race for a play-in spot in the Western Conference until the final weeks of the season.
There were plenty of positive developments to energize the team’s fan base. Lauri Markkanen blossomed into one of the league’s premier scorers. Rookie center Walker Kessler, one of the players acquired via the Gobert trade, seamlessly replaced Gobert in the lineup and emerged as a defensive force.
Jordan Clarkson was as potent as he’s ever been at the offensive end, posting career highs in points and assists per game.
As they head into training camp, the Jazz have even more reasons for optimism. They pulled off a big trade with the Hawks to acquire power forward John Collins. Even after receiving a long-term deal in Atlanta, Collins remained prominent in trade rumors until a deal finally came to fruition. With a fresh start, Collins should bounce back from a subpar season as part of one of the league biggest frontcourts.
Kelly Olynyk returns as Kessler’s backup, while forward Taylor Hendricks (ninth pick of the draft) should claim a rotation spot in his rookie season.
The backcourt beyond Clarkson is much more unsettled. Clarkson could be a candidate at the point but is more likely to start at shooting guard.
Options are plentiful at the point. Ideally, Collin Sexton – another year removed from major knee surgery – will regain the form he showed in Cleveland. Utah invested a four-year, $71MM contract in him, likely knowing he’d need time to regain strength and confidence.
Kris Dunn experienced a career revival during a stint with the Jazz last season. The versatile Talen Horton-Tucker and rookie Keyonte George will also fight for minutes at the point.
Shooting guard Ochai Agbaji, the 14th overall pick in 2022, didn’t dazzle as a rookie but could make a leap in his second season.
Overall, the Jazz look like a team on the rise in the loaded West after finishing with a 37-45 record last season.
That leads us to today’s topic: How do you think Utah’s rotation will shake out this season, particularly in the backcourt? Will the Jazz make the play-in tournament or even claim one of the top six spots in the West? Or are they destined for the lottery?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.
My Eutah Jazzers will be dazzLers this year into the 6th spot!!! Who’s tall….?
eUtaH!!!!
Lottery!
Love the Jazz, but after the Conley trade last year they were one of the worst teams in the league.
They have a bunch of bigs who can’t dribble or pass effectively. Adding Collins just makes that situation worse.
Without a playmaker with great handles this team will struggle to get the shots they need to have a winning record.
Your statements is saying the jazz were good with Conley? I do like Conley but the jazz were good because they had low expectations and surprised everyone as a team. Conley did not do that but he has done great for any organization including the wolves now.
The jazz have added George and have brought back plenty of depth. We may see some trades for a star ⭐️
Good chance the jazz hold out as is but maybe some consolidation happens.
Nothing wrong with the jazz moving expiring contracts into herro for example.
The jazz have some rookies that may surprise!
It’ll be fun low expectations is the key
Jazz need one badly after what the Jokic nuggets did. 2nd place won’t cut it again…
Kessler, poeltl, mamukashveli were the only joker stoppers I saw last season, as I follow Jokic’es craft with appreciation of his leadership.
T wolves have a decision to make according to k anderson. I would sign him and give back some picks to those poor suckers. The timeline is -1 yrs to be fully in line with Walker Kessler’s development, relationships,shared experiences.. – Currently with this roster, walker is utah’s only hope of directing championships leadership onto the floor. Kyle needs a big man who runs towards responsibility, accountability and in flow with what’s best for the team on any situation and in every possession.
Surround walker with Spurs guys basically is what I’m saying.
It’s most likely the lottery; since the FO designed the team for it. That could change, but until then, it’s best to assume the FO will get what it wants.
I think they will compete early again and hang around the back of the playin like the Thunder did last year but its tough to win withoit a floor general to mesh these new pieces.
I expect them to end up in the back end of the lottery. Too good for a top pick unless the lottery favors them, but not good enough to crack .500. Lauri just had one of the most efficient 25ppg seasons of all time, Agbaji looks good, Kessler was like 70-75% of Rudy Gobert as a rookie, Keyonte George looks promising, and they have interesting pieces like Collins, Samanic, Dunn, Sexton, Omer Yurtseven, Taylor Hendricks, and of course their veteran leaders in Clarkson and Olynyk. But unless things break perfectly for them and the rotation shakes out in ideal fashion from the jump, they can’t break through in the stacked West. There are like ten potential 45+ win-teams.
They only need a promising young SF star