The query that I’m most frequently requested, or observe followers discussing, is when will the Utah Jazz be able to contend for a title?
It’s a query that carries a ton of weight, requires context and likewise comes with the caveat that it’s clearly inconceivable to say whether or not the Jazz will ever win an NBA title and even be able to realistically contend for one.
Right now I’m doing my finest to present you a practical and knowledgeable tackle how far the Jazz are from making an attempt to really win video games — a state of the union for the Utah Jazz, with out rose-colored glasses or sugar coating.
The group is in it’s third shedding season following the huge overhaul and whereas the followers have largely caught round, there are some which are beginning to expertise tank fatigue. That’s comprehensible contemplating what the Jazz entrance workplace personnel can publicly say.
For instance, they will’t come proper out and say issues like, “we have been planning on being actually dangerous however Lauri Markkanen was higher than we anticipated.” Or, “we’re tanking.” Or, “we might be tanking for no less than three years.”
As an alternative, they should say that they’re all the time on the lookout for methods to develop expertise and win video games. That they’re “huge recreation searching.” They should say issues like that even when they know that the percentages are towards them or that they’re flat out mendacity.
So what’s the reality? The place are the Jazz by way of rebuilding towards a group that may legitimately compete?
The teardown
When the Jazz are known as a rebuilding group from those that are on the surface wanting in, those that are on the within are fast to make a correction to that narrative. The Jazz don’t view the 2024-25 season because the third yr of a rebuild. As an alternative, they see it as a part of the teardown.
Of their eyes, the rebuild hasn’t began.
The tearing down course of clearly started with the departure of Quin Snyder and the trades that noticed Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert moved to different groups. However a brand new coach and the departure of two All-Stars was not the down-to-the-studs renovation that the Jazz have been seeking to full.
And, because the Jazz have been working towards a whole teardown, they have been additionally confronted with Markkanen’s ascendence in addition to making an attempt to make strikes that would have a constructive return on funding.
In order that they slowly moved on from Bojan Bogdanovic, Mike Conley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Kelly Olynyk, Jarred Vanderbuilt and Simone Fontecchio, whereas paying a low worth for John Collins and ready to see what they’d in Collin Sexton, Walker Kessler and Ochai Agbaji, after which later their three 2023 rookies.
Throughout these first two seasons of the teardown, the Jazz did flirt with the thought of bringing in high-tier gamers, however the 2025 draft all the time had an attraction that the Jazz knew they’d be taken with, and in the end they struck out on some offers but additionally determined that their future could be higher served by the lottery.
Then, 2024 introduced in three extra rookies. At this level, the Jazz already knew that the plan for this season was to lose as many video games as potential and the damage report has mirrored that. However the Jazz are attempting to spin numerous plates.
They wish to lose video games, make it possible for they’re getting essentially the most out of Markkanen and persevering with to develop his recreation in addition to Kessler’s, whereas ensuring that they’re pushing their youngest gamers to see what sort of untapped potential may be hidden.
In addition they don’t need the younger gamers to have a skewed view of NBA tradition, so that you wish to add sufficient veterans who the children can look as much as whereas additionally feeling like they’ve room to develop. In the meantime, they’re looking for role-playing constructing blocks that present sufficient flashes that make the Jazz really feel assured, however not a lot that the group wins video games.
Oh, and if the younger gamers aren’t figuring out, hopefully they are often coached into enjoying effectively sufficient that they can be utilized in trades down the highway. And all of this needs to be executed whereas listening to draft capital, CBA modifications and league-wide motion.
There was some concern getting into the 2024-25 season that the Jazz’s younger expertise may pop somewhat an excessive amount of and that they’d have a troublesome time of tanking with Markkanen on the roster. Properly, with the issue of the NBA studying curve and the manipulation of the damage reviews, the Jazz have confirmed that they will tank by fairly a bit after they put their collective minds to it.
That brings us to the current day, the place the Jazz have dropped right into a spot that’s doubtless to make sure the very best lottery odds heading right into a draft with a participant that’s coveted by your entire league — Cooper Flagg.
However even when the Jazz have been to strike gold within the lottery and make Flagg a Jazzman, that doesn’t imply that the rebuild is over. The truth is, it would simply be the start.
Subsequent yr
There are an enormous variety of those that make up an NBA entrance workplace, and that doesn’t even take note of the teaching employees, possession and the ever-growing analytics and scouting departments. It ought to come as no shock that with that many individuals, there are differing opinions on what’s the finest plan of action.
The variables that may influence what course the Jazz take subsequent season are as follows: the Jazz’s 2026 draft choose, which is top-eight protected; who the Jazz get within the 2025 draft; what occurs with top-tier gamers across the league over the following calendar yr.
Let’s begin with what many view as the very best case state of affairs — the Jazz getting the No. 1 total choose in 2025 and deciding on Cooper Flagg.
A beginning lineup that options Flagg, Kessler and Markkanen sounds fairly unimaginable when enthusiastic about future potential. However is that going to be a beginning lineup that will win too many video games? That’s an actual worry, as a result of the Jazz don’t wish to hand over their 2026 first-rounder.
I wish to be clear right here, the Jazz completely wish to have one other excessive draft choose in 2026. With gamers like AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer all wanting like future stars, there’s good cause for the Jazz to wish to lose numerous video games subsequent season.
And so they wish to.
The one factor that would maintain the Jazz from tanking subsequent season could be a wildly large transfer, like Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum or one other top-tier participant changing into obtainable. Although these issues are potential (let’s not overlook we noticed Luka Doncic traded this yr), they’re unlikely.
So, then we have a look at what occurs if the Jazz get Flagg however are too good to tank. The Jazz would clearly attempt to damage report their manner into losses once more, however maintaining Flagg may require buying and selling Markkanen or Kessler, and the Jazz already know that there’s a marketplace for each gamers and that groups might be prepared to pay a fairly good worth.
I’m not saying that the Jazz are undoubtedly seeking to commerce both a kind of guys. But it surely wouldn’t shock me in the event that they did ought to they land Flagg. In fact, in the event that they don’t get Flagg, they will most likely therapeutic massage their manner by one other tanking season with out buying and selling Markkanen or Kessler. Most likely.
As issues stand immediately, if the Jazz make it by the 2025-26 season and so they get a few high draft picks, they are going to be prepared to start out making strikes to herald gamers that may assist them win a title.
It most likely makes subsequent season the primary true yr of the rebuild after the teardown. That might imply the 2026-27 season could be the second yr of the rebuild and I feel the Jazz wish to begin profitable video games in that second yr of the rebuild.
The present roster
A part of the rebuilding course of that Jazz followers have gotten intimately acquainted with is evaluating younger prospects.
Outdoors of the uncommon few top-tier gamers which are clearly on a distinct degree proper out of the draft, most gamers fall into three classes: future foundational items; function/bench gamers; non-NBA gamers. That’s not a really good manner of placing it, but it surely’s the reality.
Of the Jazz’s younger gamers, the Jazz really feel like they’ve discovered a foundational participant in Kessler. There are different gamers on the roster which are in a single class now, however might transfer up or down into a distinct class because the Jazz proceed their analysis.
For instance, Keyonte George was considered as a potential foundational piece early on, however is now seen as a bench participant. Brice Sensabaugh may need been seen as a potential bench participant, however he seems to be extra like a participant who received’t be capable of stick within the NBA. Each gamers nonetheless have an opportunity to vary what the group believes they’re able to, however in some unspecified time in the future, they must make a closing determination.
Isaiah Collier, who’s at the moment the Jazz’s place to begin guard, is being given each likelihood to point out that he is usually a foundational piece, however is at the moment thought to be a future backup guard. Kyle Filipowski can also be somebody the Jazz can see as a bench participant with potential for extra.
In the end, the jury is out on most of those gamers however particularly Cody Williams and Taylor Hendricks, who appear to have essentially the most upside of all the Jazz’s younger gamers. Williams hasn’t even performed in 40 NBA video games but and Hendricks has missed all of this season with a damaged leg.
Since time is the one factor that may give these gamers the very best likelihood, they’re lucky that the Jazz are nonetheless early within the rebuilding course of. Time is on their aspect.
The Jazz have three gamers whose contracts usually are not assured for subsequent season — Johnny Juzang, Svi Mykhailiuk and Okay.J. Martin — of these gamers, Martin might be the one one which may very well be returning subsequent yr.
John Collins, Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton are all on expiring offers subsequent season. So, the Jazz could have some choices on the subject of easy methods to deal with issues.
They may let all of them expire and have a ton of cap house open on the finish of the 2025-26 season (if Kessler continues to be round, his extension will take up a few of that house). They may additionally select to commerce anyone or all of those gamers.
There are causes to argue that Sexton and Collins might doubtlessly be function gamers and a part of a future Jazz group that performs to win, however for the Jazz, the deciding issue might be how a lot it prices to retain their providers. Clarkson, who might be 34 subsequent summer time, doesn’t match the Jazz’s timeline.
Markkanen is essentially the most intriguing and most vital individual at the moment on the Jazz roster. The excellent news is that he’s a extremely, actually good participant who we all know can play at an All-Star degree and thus far hasn’t been bothered sufficient by the rebuild to wish to go wherever else. He loves being in Utah and he believes in what the group is doing.
However Markkanen’s future, like so many gamers across the league, isn’t fully in his management. It would wholly depend upon how the Jazz fare within the upcoming draft and what else is occurring across the league.
The Jazz would like to maintain Markkanen and have him be part of the long-term plans in Utah. It’s only a matter of whether or not their hand is compelled or if they will keep the rebuild with him on the roster.
