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Which Utah Jazz Player Will Break Out In 2015-16?

By Ryan Aston

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Mar 21, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Utah Jazz guard Rodney Hood (5) scores a basket ahead of Golden State Warriors guard Andre Iguodala (9) against Golden State Warriors center Festus Ezeli (31) with Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) during the second quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

With the 2015-16 NBA season nearly upon us, the Utah Jazz look poised to crash the playoff party in the Western Conference. However, if the Jazz are going to make the return to postseason play, the team will probably need a breakout performance from one of their young guns.

So which Jazz player has the best chance of taking their game to the next level this year? The staff of Purple & Blues looks to tackle that very question today.

Richard Lu: Well, I’ve got Rudy Gobert unsurprisingly. He’s played basketball all summer, is one of if not the best rim protector in the league and will have a full season as the starting center for the Jazz. I think the more minutes he plays, the better he’ll become, which is scary.

I think the best quality about him is that, like the centers of yore, he’s not afraid to challenge every shot–even if it means he ends up on the wrong end of the highlight.

For a perimeter guy, I think I’d go with Alec Burks as the Jazz really need a secondary perimeter creator next to Gordon Hayward and Burks has a lot to prove after his injury last season.

Spencer Wixom: I believe that Hayward broke out last year and that what we saw from Gobert could be considered a breakout.

I’m sure that most people will say Rodney Hood for this one. He is the obvious choice going into his second year. Derrick Favors will be considered a breakout candidate by most NBA fans because it may be the first time in awhile that they are paying attention to the Jazz. However, my pick is Burks.

Last year, the excitement fans had for Burks was probably unmatched by that of any other player. Many were convinced he would lead the team in scoring under a creative head coach in Quin Snyder. Unfortunately, the shoulder injury shut him down before the team started to gel.

Burks is healthier than ever now–his initial shoulder injury was sustained in college and has finally been repaired. The guard spent much of his rehab during last season with the team, so he had ample time to work with Snyder on what the Jazz coach wants to see from him this year. Burks should be able to step into the system much more prepared mentally than he was last year.

The injury to Dante Exum also means that Burks will be called upon more than anticipated. Burks will get every chance to prove himself. If he buys into the system and is willing to pass the ball, he will thrive. Many fans forget about Burks because of the injury and emergence of Hood. Don’t make the same mistake because he may well be the key to the Jazz taking the next step.

Mar 23, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine (8) shoots the ball against Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) during the second half at EnergySolutions Arena. Minnesota won in overtime 106-104. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

Blake Draper: The Jazz player most likely to break out is Gobert. Wix says that Rudy could be considered to have broken out last year and I agree to a point. But over the course of a full season I think we’re going to see even more from the Stifle Tower and that he will continue to surprise us, especially on offense.

I honestly don’t think Gobert will ever be a big-time scorer or the offensive leader of a team, but that’s OK. I was hoping for a full season with both Gobert and Exum starting together to see what kind of chemistry they could build. Regardless, I think Gobert ups his scoring to 12-13 points per game and improves on his passing to really open things up for the Jazz.

Jared Barker: Oh man… I want to go Rodney Hood, but I have to go with my man Gobert. While I expect huge things from Hood as his career progresses, Rudy is in his third season now. This will be the first time he’s been a starter at the beginning of the year.

His rise last year was meteoric, but what’s even more astonishing is how darn consistent he can be. When he has a rare defensive lapse he gets mad and clamps down hard. He starts appearing everywhere. I keep hearing people mention this about his play this summer for Les Bleus.

If he gets any kind of offensive consistency 10-15 feet from the basket, defenses will have a very hard time with the Jazz. That offensive game would feed into and improve the natural passing ability that he and Boris Diaw are showcasing in EuroBasket. He’s also been trying a short floater out in Europe. Gobert may never be a go-to player, but added offense would open things up for Favors, Hayward and Hood/Burks to get easier buckets.

Karthik Narayanan: Gobert hasn’t even scratched the surface of his potential and he already has the league’s attention. Consequently, teams will be prepared for him. Breakout seasons can depend a lot on the coaching schemes. In Synder’s system, it has to be a wing player. I want to say Hood, but he may be prone to injuries. He is a risky pick.

The safest bet is Burks. His potential as a scorer is huge–even with a bad shoulder dating back to his days at Colorado, he was fearless when driving to the basket. Regardless of his role (sixth man or starter), he is going to be a part of some ESPN highlights and could have a big year.

Ryan Aston: Clearly there are a lot of breakout candidates on this squad. After all, the Jazz are a team on the rise with a roster populated by young, talented players. That said, my breakout Jazzman for this coming season has to be Hood.

If not for the foot injury, there’s no telling what the former Duke captain could’ve done in Burks’ absence. After the All-Star Break, Hood averaged nearly 12 points per game on 46 percent from the field and 42 percent from three-point range. He was especially effective in April, averaging just under 17 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game en route to Rookie of the Month honors.

Despite the return of Burks, I envision Hood cementing himself as a starter, shooting the lights out and helping the team overcome Exum’s loss with his ball handling and an improved defensive effort.

I’m also going to mention Trey Burke here. In many ways, this is a make or break season for the point guard. If he can become a more consistent shooter, develop as a distributor in Snyder’s system and not hurt the team defensively, it would be huge for both the player and the team.

At the very least, he’s got the drive and the attitude to make a breakout season happen.

Next: Rudy Gobert Advances to EuroBasket Quarterfinals

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