SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz have unveiled their 2024-25 schedule ahead of what is shaping up to be a difficult season for the team.
The Jazz are expected to be one of the last teams in the Western Conference and wins may be harder to come by than most years.
With that in mind, here are the three most important dates on the Jazz calendar ahead of the 24-25 season.
Related: Jazz unveils 2024-25 season schedule
Three dates to remember for the 2024-2025 Utah Jazz season
October 24, 2024
The Jazz open the season on Oct. 23 in Utah, and by the next morning there should be a clearer idea of the team’s priorities throughout the season.
Coach Will Hardy has resisted starting rookies on opening night during his tenure in Utah, while lottery picks Ochai Agbaji and Taylor Hendricks have been completely out of the rotation.
Will that be the case again, with veterans like Svi Mykhialiuk and Patty Mills getting minutes in place of Cody Williams and Isaiah Collier, or will a full-on youth movement be underway for the Jazz?
THE @utahjazz The list is complete with 15 guaranteed contracts.
After their latest veteran signings, is there still room for first- and second-year players to see the field?
Here we break down the backyard, wings and forecourt!#takenotehttps://t.co/mBdzDG3Wgk
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 14, 2024
Hardy has inserted Walker Kessler and Keyonte George into his early-season rotation the past two years, so he’s not afraid to play rookies, but with six first- and second-year players on the roster, he has more youth at his disposal than ever before.
If veterans start the season earning the lion’s share of minutes, the Jazz could follow a similar path to the last two years, where they maximize wins early and fall back into the lottery after the trade deadline.
If they instead rely on a combination of Williams, Collier, Kyle Filipowski, Taylor Hendricks and Brice Sensabaugh to start the season, winning could take a back seat to player development.
December 4, 2024
December 4th seems like an arbitrary date to judge a basketball team in most seasons.
This year it might be different.
By Dec. 4, the Jazz will have played 21 games, nearly a quarter of the season, and will have faced a string of deadly opponents.
Of their first 21 games, 16 will be against teams that finished in the playoffs or playoffs last season.
Full @utahjazz Calendar for the 2024-25 season.
15 straight games, three holiday games and All-Star Weekend that begins on Valentine’s Day. #takenote | @kslsports pic.twitter.com/swcGEWKhZ4
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) August 15, 2024
The other five will face the now-healthy Memphis Grizzlies, who will be competing for home-court advantage in the playoffs, and four games featuring Victor Wembanyama, Chris Paul and the newly minted San Antonio Spurs.
To cap it all off, the Jazz will then embark on an eight-game, eight-city series with just one home game on the schedule until after Christmas.
The Jazz were 7-14 through their first 21 games last season but could struggle to match that record in 2024-25, even if they prioritize winning.
It could well turn out to be a long December for the Jazz, and perhaps this year won’t be any better than last.
February 6, 2025
The Jazz have been one of the league’s most active teams at the trade deadline in each of the past two seasons, and could be again in February.
After signing Drew Eubanks, Johnny Juzang, Svi Mykhailiuk and Patty Mills to expiring contracts, the Jazz could once again be big players at the deadline.
THE @utahjazz have officially signed Drew Eubanks, Svi Mykhailiuk and rookie Kyle Filipowski.
After signing Johnny Juzang, the team will only have one guaranteed roster spot available. #TakeNote https://t.co/ZcRFwjX0iO
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 12, 2024
However, without the same quality of role players as in 2023 and 2024, trades could be harder to come by.
Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton and John Collins are names that could be discussed before the Feb. 6 deadline, but with multiple years remaining on each of their contracts, they might not garner the same interest that Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley, Kelly Olynyk and Simone Fontecchio have in recent years.
The Jazz have the assets to lead at the deadline, but they might not have the same sparkle this season as they have in years past.
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Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and co-host of Jake and Ben from 10 p.m. to 12 p.m. with Jake Scott on 97.5 KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops or on Instagram @BensHoops.
