Utah Jazz: J-Notes Staff Bold Predictions for the 2017-18 Season

On the eve of the Utah Jazz’s 2017-18 opener against the Denver Nuggets, the staff here at The J-Notes chimes in with bold predictions for the Jazz this season.

The 2017-18 NBA season may have more question marks and storylines across the league than any other season in recent memory; maybe ever. The Utah Jazz are no exception to this heading into the season.

That being the case, there’s no time like the present for some bold predictions from our experts and contributors on the Jazz this season. After all, who doesn’t love some steaming-hot takes?

Each prediction was sent independent of the others. However, you’ll notice some re-occurring trends in our thoughts about the upcoming season. Does this mean these predictions are more likely to happen? Only time will tell.

Only one thing is certain, Wednesday night can’t come soon enough.

Now onto the predictions!

Donovan Mitchell will start by season’s end

“When Donovan Mitchell put up 20 points and more than four steals per game during summer league play, the Utah Jazz knew they had a player. His performance in four preseason games only served to heighten expectations of the No. 13 overall pick.

Per 36 minutes, he averaged nearly 23 points, four rebounds, and 1.1 steals during Utah’s undefeated exhibition run. We may need to pump the breaks a little on expecting him to duplicate those numbers during the regular season, however, Mitchell will undoubtedly make it hard for Jazz coach Quin Snyder to keep him off the floor.

Between that and some of the uncertainty surrounding Joe Ingles in an expanded role, I expect Mitchell will have a shot at cracking the first five by season’s end”

– Ryan Aston (@RoundballRuckus)

Mitchell takes the reigns by the end of November

“My bold prediction for the upcoming Jazz season is that Donovan Mitchell breaks into the starting lineup by November.

Mitchell could add some lacking firepower in the starting unit. He will also get used to playing with the starters from an experience standpoint. The move would allow Joe Ingles to play a more natural and suitable role off the bench as well.”

– Hayden Van de Maat (@HaydenVandez06)

Rudy Gobert will average 18+ PPG

“As a player who is considered a limited offensive talent by most, Rudy Gobert will surprise many by leading this team in scoring and average 18-plus points per game.

Last season, Gobert averaged 14 points, but was only taking 7.7 shots per game. He was also going to the free throw line for 5.9 attempts per game. I expect both of those numbers to increase this season. Let’s say he gets to 11-12 shots per game and eight free throw attempts while shooting the same percentages.

That does not seem unrealistic after watching the preseason, and with that many shot attempts and his percentages, 18-plus points per game is more obtainable than many may realize.”

– John Keeffer (@KeefferJohn)

Rudy averages 20 PPG

“I know a lot of fans think Gobert doesn’t do much on offense, but that simply isn’t the case.

He’s really improved his hands and ability to catch passes. His footwork is looking better as well. He’s playing with guys that will get him the ball, he’s a great pick and roll player and I really think he can hit 20 PPG this year.”

– Zack Padmore (@ZP12Hoops)

Gobert becomes Jazz leading scorer

“My bold prediction is that Rudy Gobert will lead the team in scoring with 20 points per game.

After seeing him in the preseason and considering how well Ricky Rubio runs the pick-and-roll, I’m confident he can do it. Not to mention, he averaged just 7.7 shot attempts per game last year so as that figure goes up, his points per game should go up drastically as well.”

– Jared Woodcox (@jaredwoodcox)

Alec Burks will lead the team in bench scoring and will be a top five 6th Man of the Year candidate

“You ready for a molten lava hot take? One with so much fire, you hope not to be called an arsonist later in the season? Here it is twitchells and Mitchells…

Alec Burks will lead the team in bench scoring and will be a top five 6th man of the year candidate.

‘But Jared, how can you be optimistic about an oft-injured guard who we’ve barely seen the last three years?’ Okay, legitimate concern, but his injuries were usually caused by other players.

He got a really bad deal from Paul Pierce. Dangerous play from an over the hill Hall of Famer playing for the most Jazz hatingest squad last year. (I don’t blame them if they hated Gordon Hayward; they were probably right to. Haha just kidding.)”

– Jared Barker (@gothedistance49)

Burks replaces Hood in starting lineup

“After a rash of injuries and tons of missed playing time, fan favorite Alec Burks has a year of resurgence.

His playmaking and athleticism make it impossible for Quin Snyder to keep him off the court, and after Rodney Hood is slow to develop the consistency expected of a starter, Burks replaces Hood in the starting line-up. This is all the more possible now that Dante Exum is injured and more guard playing time has opened up.

We know Burks has the potential to be this type of player. At one point, he looked like the Jazz’ future star, with Derrick Favors, Gordon Hayward and Enes Kanter rounding out the young core.

Dwyane Wade also marked Burks as the most underrated player in the league before he went down.

This is a bold prediction, but one that I think is certainly not outside the realm of possibilities.”

– Tyler Crandall (@tj_cran)

Two Jazzmen get All-Star Nods

“Last year, Gordon Hayward was the first Jazz player since Deron Williams in 2010-11 to be selected as an All-Star. So how can a team so star-starved possibly send two players to this year’s All-Star game in Los Angeles after losing their only All-Star in six years?

First off, the Jazz really had two All-Stars last year. Just ask Rudy Gobert how he feels about last year’s selections. I would consider Rudy a lock to make this year’s squad, however, where will the second representative from the Jazz come from?

I believe there are two likely candidates for this Jazz squad to step up and claim their spot among the league’s elite — Derrick Favors and Ricky Rubio.

This will be a year in the right direction for Favors, it just won’t be enough to re-create the Jazz frontcourt at the Staples Center when All-Star Weekend rolls around.

In my Regular Season Team Award Predictions, I predicted that Rubio would be the team’s runner-up “Biggest Surprise” and “MVP”.

I anticipate Rubio will not just replace George Hill’s production from last season, but I expect him to be the Jazz’s second-leading scorer and a primary piece of a Jazz team that surprises a lot of people in the West by the midseason mark.”

Remember, many considered a healthy Hill an All-Star caliber talent.

The Rubio move will prove to be one of the NBA’s most significant offseason acquisitions. #InDennisWeTrust”

– Tyler Thorpe (@TylerDThorpe)

Next: Utah Jazz: Regular Season Team Award Predictions

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