6) Utah Jazz
Avg: 6.7, Hi: 5, Low: 9, Aston: 6
After winning 51 games, their division and a first-round playoff series in 2016-17, the Jazz band will have to work to remain among the West’s best in ’17-18. However, there’s still reason for excitement in Jazzland.
Rudy Gobert is a Top 10 player entering his prime and one of the NBA’s few truly game-changing talents. Furthermore, Donovan Mitchell has visions of Dwyane Wade dancing in fans’ heads (fairly or not), Ricky Rubio is probably a fringe All-Star and Quin Snyder is one of basketball’s best coaches.
The big question marks with Utah are whether or not Rodney Hood can be the go-to guy on offense, if Derrick Favors and Alec Burks have anything left in the tank and what Dante Exum can do with more run. If some of these things go their way (and they stay healthy, for once) a lot of people are going to be surprised by the Jazz.