The 2024-25 NBA season is here! We're breaking down the biggest questions, best- and worst-case scenarios, and fantasy outlooks for all 30 teams. Enjoy!
UTAH JAZZ
2023-24 finish
Record: 31-51 (failed to make the playoffs)
Offensive rating: 114.5 (18th)
Defensive rating: 119.6 (30th)
Offseason moves
Additions: Cody Williams, Drew Eubanks, Svi Mykhailiuk, Kyle Filipowski, Isaiah Collier, Patty Mills
Subtractions: Talen Horton-Tucker, Kira Lewis Jr., Omer Yurtseven, Kris Dunn, Luka Samanic, Kenny Lofton Jr., Darius Bazley
The Big Question: Who is the future of the Jazz?
The Utah Jazz traded Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert for a host of draft assets and young talent, signaling what should have been their first full-blown rebuild in memory. Only Lauri Markkanen emerged as an All-Star, and they never bottomed out. They won 12 of their first 18 games of the 2022-23 season, ultimately finishing 12th in the Western Conference, too good to secure franchise-altering lottery odds.
Same goes for last season, when they won 31 games behind a cast of veterans (Markkanen, Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson and John Collins), none of whom is a Franchise Guy, and their draft selection fell to 10th.
They have taken five players in the first round of the past two drafts — Taylor Hendricks, Keyonte George, Brice Sensabaugh, Cody Williams and Isaiah Collier — plus Kyle Filipowski, the 32nd overall pick in this past June's draft, and we are unclear if any of them is a future star. George has flashed the most potential, though he shot less than 40% from the field last season. We will see about this year's class.
Or we should see about this year's class. The nature of Markkanen's new contract extension prohibits the Jazz from trading him, even if they wanted to, so he is part of the plan this season. Sexton, Clarkson and Collins remain, too. If we have learned anything from third-year head coach Will Hardy, he will lean into his veterans. It sounds weird, but he is too good a coach, and they will win more games than they should.
You see, Utah is trying to navigate two timelines, only neither of them is very good. Markkanen is 27 years old. His contract runs through the 2028-29 season, when he will earn $53.5 million at the age of 31. Do we think anyone on the roster can develop in time to meet Markkanen on his level? Does the Finnish star even want to stick around long enough to find out? This feels like an endless pursuit of mediocrity.
Take Walker Kessler, for example. The 7-footer made the All-Rookie first team in 2023, finishing as a finalist for the Rookie of the Year award. He was named to Team USA's 2023 FIBA World Cup roster. So what did the Jazz do? They moved their 22-year-old center to the bench, where he was less productive. Utah's defense was 3.8 points per 100 meaningful possessions better when Walker was on the court and 4.8 points per 100 non-garbage possessions worse when Collins was on the floor, per Cleaning the Glass.
How many of Utah's other prospects will have their development stunted by veterans who might make the team a little better this season but may not even be on the roster if and when the team is any good?
And to what end?
The Jazz are not going to make the playoffs this season, not in a Western Conference this crowded. Their priority should be to find out who among their recent draft picks is going to be part of their future, and they cannot discover that without playing them — a lot. One benefit to leaning into a youth movement is that they might just lose enough games to secure a top-five pick for the first time in more than a decade.
Best-case scenario
Markkanen is fully committed to Utah's embrace of the tank. Hardy plays everyone under 25 a ton, and a few reward their coach with enough flashes of brilliance to believe in them. Markkanen is great but not good enough to carry a bunch of unproven players to 30 wins. The Jazz find trade value for Clarkson, Collins and/or Sexton. They secure enough lottery combinations to land a future star at the top of the draft. Oh, and both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves underwhelm, delivering two more unprotected first-round picks to a collection of young prospects that suddenly seems promising.
If everything falls apart
In July 2021, the Jazz traded their top-10 protected 2025 first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder in order to get off Derrick Favors' contract and avoid the luxury tax. Can you imagine if they lose that pick this season? All it would take is more of the same. Another hot start. Another misguided reason to believe they can make the play-in tournament, only to realize too late that they should have tanked. And we are here again with no answer to the same question next season: Who is the future of the Jazz?
Fantasy spin
Kessler is one of the best values on the fantasy draft board. Whether he's being showcased for a trade or not, Kessler is trending to be a low-end double-double threat who will be among the league leaders in blocks per game.
I like Sexton as an early ninth-rounder. When he joined the starting unit last year, Sexton provided seventh-round value. All signs point to him resuming that role, so fantasy managers are getting him at a nice discount.
George avoided a severe knee injury, and it looks like he'll be playing in Utah's final preseason game. George is a solid option for points leagues and could outperform his ADP in category formats if he can improve his efficiency and reduce his turnover rate. Hendricks is a late-round flier who offers some defensive upside and 3s, but the volume is a question mark until the vets are traded. — Dan Titus
2024-25 schedule
Season opener: Oct. 23 vs. Memphis
Over/under win total: 29.5
Play the kids. Take the under.
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