2023-24 NBA Season Preview: Utah Jazz
Training camp for the 2023-24 NBA season is officially underway! Up until opening night on Oct. 24, we will be previewing all 30 NBA teams! Today, to continue our series, we will be previewing the Utah Jazz! Let’s dive into it!
What happened last year?
After trading away All NBA tent poles Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell as well as Royce O’Neale (very strange trade…very strange) the entire NBA world expected the Jazz to be propping up the Western Conference. However, in scenes reminiscent of the 2004 edition of the team led by Andrei Kirilenko, Matt Harpring and Carlos Arroyo, the Jazz shocked everyone by being a genuinely good basketball team. That wasn’t going to stand under Danny Ainge’s rule, though.
The Jazz quickly traded out veteran lead guard Mike Conley, shooter Malik Beasley and versatile big Jarred Vanderbilt for a 1st round pick and promptly waived Russell Westbrook, who they got back from the Lakers. What was a .500 team went 10-16 the rest of the way, eventually finishing with 37 wins. Tanking mission just about accomplished.
Utah did discover a couple of foundation pieces for their rebuild in Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler. The 25-year-old Markkanen enjoyed a career year, averaging 25.6 points on 50/39/88 shooting splits along with 8.9 rebounds, and the Finn received his first All-Star selection along the way.
Kessler, despite the hype, is not yet near the defender that peak Gobert was. That said, he’s a hell of a lot closer than anybody could have reasonably expected. The 22nd pick in the draft had a stellar rookie campaign, averaging a near-double-double with 2.3 blocks whilst shooting an astonishing 72 percent from the floor.
Offseason recap:
The Jazz, as expected, are building through the draft. They used their troika of 1st round picks to cover the positional spectrum, picking big forward Taylor Hendricks, guard Keyonte George and wing Brice Sensabaugh. All three theoretically fit around Markkanen and Kessler.
Danny Ainge, though, can’t help being Danny Ainge. When an asset play is staring the Jazz decision-maker in the face, he has to bite. That said, bringing in John Collins from Atlanta for a 2nd round pick and the fossilised remains of Rudy Gay is one the easiest decisions Ainge has ever made.
Will Collins be a part of the next contending Jazz team? Maybe, maybe not. You can bet your bottom dollar, though, that Ainge will eventually trade the talented forward for a whole lot more than he had to give to get him.
The Jazz re-signed veteran guard Jordan Clarkson to a reasonable contract, whilst adding Omer Yurtseven to serve as Kessler’s backup.
Projected Starting Five?
Collin Sexton, PG – This really could be point guard by committee, with last season’s starter Talen Horton-Tucker and the Kris Dunn reclamation project all in contention for a starting berth. We’ll go with Sexton here for one simple reason: Danny Ainge. Expect the healthy again Sexton to be placed squarely in the shop front window as the Jazz look to maximise his trade value. He is an explosive scorer at his best. There is a chance he could find himself the long-term Clarkson replacement if the market for the latter proves more robust.
Jordan Clarkson, SG – Clarkson was once the poster boy for the empty calories, inefficient gunner. Whilst he’s still not the most economical of ballers he has ironed out many of the foibles that so frustrated coaches, teammates and fans in his younger days. A leader on this young Jazz roster, Clarkson averaged a career-high 20.8 points per game in 2023.
Lauri Markkanen, F – The 2023 Most Improved Player award winner will be hoping to maintain his production from last season. Teams will be loading up on the Finn this season as he’ll be the undisputed top dog on an NBA team from opening night, for the first time in his career.
John Collins, F – If Collins’ troublesome hand injury has at long last healed and he rediscovers his jump shot, the Jazz will employ one of the best young forward pairings in the NBA. At worst, he buys time for the rookie Hendricks to develop.
Walker Kessler, C – Kessler probably got the best of both worlds from a Utah perspective in making the USA roster for the World Cup, but rarely leaving the pine. He got to experience playing with some high-end players without really adding too much load to his young body. Kessler’s defense won’t take people by surprise in season two, though expect some incremental offensive improvements from the big man.
Notable Reserves:
Talen Horton-Tucker, G – After Conley’s trade, Horton-Tucker emerged as Coach Will Hardy’s preferred starter at the point. His talent, still far more theoretical than actual at this point, remains tantalising.
Kris Dunn, G – The 5th overall pick back in 2016, Dunn’s complete inability to shoot a basketball saw him effectively out of the league by 2021. He was seen as a depth piece when signed by the Jazz last season yet played some fantastic basketball. His defense – always elite – hasn’t slipped whilst he shot a crazy 47.2 percent from deep. To give you an idea of how bad a shooter Dunn is (was?) that brought his career mark up to 31.3 percent.
Kelly Olynyk, C/F – With his career seemingly starting to tail off Neon Jesus enjoyed arguably his best season as a pro in 2023. As a solid defender, ace stretch big and valuable locker room leader, he’ll be the primary big off the bench from the Jazz. A key player, despite Collins taking his starting spot.
Biggest X-Factor? Danny Ainge
Surely you don’t need this one explained to you.
Season projection?
This season’s Jazz is most certainly not last season’s Jazz. There is more young talent on the roster now, but they’ve replaced solid veterans. Expect this team to fall into a mid-lottery seeding, winning 31 games.
