It’s no secret that the Utah Jazz are clearly in a rebuilding part of their team-building course of, and that standing stays evident as the newest participant rankings are launched forward of the beginning of the upcoming 2024-25 NBA season.
The newest media to return out with their participant rankings is CBS Sports activitiesitemizing the highest 100 gamers within the league heading into the approaching yr. The listing was topped by Denver Nuggets middle Nikola Jokic for the second straight season, adopted by Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic to spherical out the highest three.
On the Jazz aspect, their illustration was restricted, with solely Lauri Markkanen cracking the highest 100, ranked thirty first within the NBA. CBS Sports activities’ Brad Bonkin praised Markkanen’s recreation, calling him a “seven-foot sniper” with capturing similarities to Kevin Durant:
“Markkanen is 27, getting into his prime, however the Jazz aren’t near matching him. There’s some query in regards to the marriage of these two schedules, however you may guess Danny Ainge has a plan and Markkanen, a 7-foot-10 sniper who shot 23-8 final season with a greater true capturing than Kevin Durant, is a central a part of it.”
– Brad Botkin, CBS Sports activities
Markkanen is coming off one other stable season in Utah, averaging 23.2 factors, 8.2 rebounds and a couple of.0 assists whereas capturing 48.0 p.c from the sphere and 39.9 p.c from three-point vary in 55 video games. He is additionally coming off a summer season the place he signed a well-deserved five-year, $238 million contract extension to remain in Utah for the lengthy haul.
Past Markkanen, the Jazz did not garner some other mentions from the roster. Guys like Collin Sexton and Keyonte George are gamers who might have earned that consideration however had been finally handed over.
Nonetheless, heading into the upcoming season with an additional yr and summer season of development, there’s optimism that the Jazz might discover higher manufacturing from their younger expertise to seek out extra names within the prime 100 going ahead. Prospects like George, Walker Kessler, Taylor Hendricks and rookie Cody Williams might have a golden alternative to take the following step in 2024-25, successfully steering this rebuild in the correct route.
No matter this season’s outlook, it is clear that Utah has a top-tier expertise in Markkanen, and can proceed to maintain him via the 2029 season. Anticipate one other elite, top-100 season from the previous All-Star within the 2024-25 marketing campaign, and the potential for extra from the Jazz within the close to future.
Jazz motion will start in lower than two weeks, as coaching camp formally begins on October 1.
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