Utah Jazz: Could standing pat be the best path forward?

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 27: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz guards against Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half during Game Six of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at Vivint Smart Home Arena on April 27, 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 27: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz guards against Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half during Game Six of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at Vivint Smart Home Arena on April 27, 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images)
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Donovan Mitchell Utah Jazz
HOUSTON, TX – MAY 2: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz speaks with the media after the game against the Houston Rockets in Game Two of Round Two of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 2, 2018 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)

Wrapping Up

To be clear, I’m not trying to say the Jazz should twiddle their thumbs for two years and all will be rosy. I do think this is a somewhat unique position though. Several of their division rivals have made recent bets that haven’t panned out, and it’s only a matter of time before the salary cap picks them apart or forces drastic change.

When that’s coupled with the general dearth of cap space league wide you get a situation where maintaining cap flexibility, most notably through adding cost controlled assets via the draft is king.

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Drafting well, developing talent and strategically using free agency is a routine Utah has been nailing for years. If they can stay the course and not get tempted by the quick fix, the future could be very bright for this iteration of the Jazz.