What Brand of Basketball can Jazz Nation Expect When the NBA Season Begins?
The Utah Jazz remain in the media spotlight regarding the Donovan Mitchell trade rumors. Multiple teams, namely the New York Knicks, have indulged in trade conversations for Mitchell's services to no avail.
During this NBA offseason, Jazz Nation also witnessed former head coach Quin Snyder resign, and the never-to-be-forgotten trade of Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Trade conversations regarding Mitchell seem simultaneously inaudible, and yet, blaring.
At some point, the Jazz must move past player trade conversations and shift focus to the upcoming 2022-23 NA season. But with so many new faces and moving parts, what will that look like?
Let's review some possibilities on how this season might play out.
Starting Line-Up
The current Jazz roster would likely start Mike Conley, Donovan Mitchell, Bojan Bogdanovic, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Walker Kessler with Jordan Clarkson as the sixth man. This core group would provide experience, hard work, and dedication.
Although Kessler is a rookie, he has a shot-blocking skill set that should translate to the NBA. Utah's projected starters would lack some scoring and three-point upside but definitely would not qualify as a rebuild or tanking team.
There is a multitude of former and new pieces on the Jazz roster and we can only speculate how rotation patterns will be distributed under new head coach Will Hardy. If Mitchell is not traded prior to the beginning of the season, the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes for the Jazz will suffer a significant blow.
Style of Play
The majority of NBA teams implement an up-tempo style of play, meaning the pace of the game is accelerated for additional point production. With Conley on the floor, the Jazz ranked last in the NBA in pace of play last season.
The Jazz currently have Jared Butler and Patrick Beverley as point guard options and either could be inserted in the line-up to assist with pace of play. Beverley has also established himself as a tenacious defender, which could lead to easy baskets. The current Jazz roster will compete with regard to pace and style of today's NBA.
The current Jazz roster is at least a play-in playoff team with Mitchell on the roster. I'm not sure how this group is viewed as a rebuild or tanking candidate, as this unit seems far too competitive to accept losing. Coach Hardy should experience minimal resistance stamping his seal on the organization.
Bottom Line
The offseason for the Jazz has been a roller coaster to say the least. Slowly but surely, the 2022-23 NBA tip-off is approaching and legitimate trade conversations will settle down as teams will want to prepare for the season.
Maybe the Jazz should discontinue any and all trade conversations regarding Mitchell and develop a foundation with the current pieces. The team could experience some quality chemistry and just see how things play out.
The Jazz may not be championship-caliber, but this team can certainly compete in the NBA and are far from a rebuild or tanking team. Jazz Nation has benefited from a winning culture for most of its existence, and for now, it's still intact.
Additional moves may be facilitated before the season but as things currently stand, tanking and rebuilding should not be viewed as a plausible option.
Follow James on Twitter @jlewNBA.
