NBA offseason rankings: No. 4 Jazz – Houston Chronicle
With the NBA draft, free agency and summer league complete, now that Paul Millsap joins Lauri Markkanen as the final significant free agency moves, it seems a good time to take a look at where NBA teams rank heading to training camps next month.
There will be a short turnaround from summer to preseason games. There could be a few playoff chase-altering trades to come, though this is generally a slower time for that. But a great deal has taken shape and changed, with the Eastern Conference looking more like the Western Conference, as many teams can rightly consider themselves playoff contenders and with some of the West’s traditional lottery teams looking ready to take a step up.
With that, a daily look at how the NBA stacks up as the Lakers put together a new Big Three, the Suns look to make that last step and the Bucks seek a repeat championship, concluding with a look at the 2021-22 Rockets.
4. Utah Jazz
The Jazz did not just have the NBA’s best record last season. They were by many measures, the league’s best team. They just did not have the postseason success — or luck — to prove it.
The Jazz had by far the NBA’s best point differential last season, outscoring opponents by nine points by 100 possessions. They were in the top four offensively and defensively.
As much as they might seem to be a traditional team because of a throw-back defensive center in three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, they are very much on the cutting edge of the 3-point era, outscoring opponents by a ridiculous 17.6 points on 3-pointers. They ranked in the top five of 3-point percentage and 3-point percentage defense.
Donovan Mitchell continued to grow into a force and was sensational playing through pain in the postseason. The Jazz has put plenty of shooting around Mitchell and Gobert. Gobert had his best offensive season, making a league-best 67.5 percent of his shots while averaging a career-best 13.5 rebounds.
Yet, the Jazz came up short in the post-season, falling to the Clippers — without Kawhi Leonard — in the second round.
To change that, the Jazz did not change much of anything. The exception to that was in the front office Dennis Lindsey departed as president of basketball operations as part of a larger shakeup. Lindsey’s stamp a season after he was second in the executive of the year voting, however, will remain on the roster.
Key additions
Free agency: Rudy Gay, Hassan Whiteside.
Trade: Eric Paschall.
Draft: Jared Butler.
Key departures
Free agency: Georges Niang.
Trade: Derrick Favors.
The relative lack of change reflects the Jazz’s conviction that their injuries stopped them from any shortcomings exposed in the playoffs that they did not experience in the regular season. With that in mind, Justin Zanik made signing Mike Conley to a three-year, $72.5 million contract his first substantial move as general manager.
Conley’s importance, clear in the regular season, was even more evident when he was out in the postseason. He played only in the elimination game in the series against the Clippers and did not appear ready to return as the Jazz, making just 1 of 8 shots in his 26 minutes.
That had the Jazz wanting to a do-over.
The few changes made, however, could help. Rudy Gay should be a seamless fit in Quin Snyder’s offense. Hassan Whiteside replaces Derrick Favors as Gobert’s backup. Eric Paschal, who had shown promise as a Golden State rookie, also could prove to be a good pickup.
Still, the Jazz potential is still tied to the mix of Joe Ingles, Bojan Bogdanovic and Royce O’Neale, and the firepower off the bench of Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson, with the star power of Gobert and Mitchell.
That should be ample to keep the Jazz among the champion contenders. Last season, when they were the team to beat, they were beaten in the second round, sending them to this season with few changes but with unfinished business.
PREVIOUS
Aug. 23: Eastern Conference lottery teams
Aug. 24: Western Conference lottery teams
Aug. 25: Eastern Conference play-in teams
Aug. 26: Western Conference play-in teams
Aug. 27: No. 12 New York Knicks
Aug. 28: No. 11 Dallas Mavericks
Aug. 29: No. 10 Golden State Warriors
Aug. 30: No. 9 Denver Nuggets
Aug. 31: No. 8 Miami Heat
Sept. 1: No. 7 Atlanta Hawks
Sept. 2: No. 6 Philadelphia 76ers
Sept. 3: No. 5 Phoenix Suns