Will the Utah Jazz chemistry be as strong as it’s been the past two years?

With several new faces joining the Utah Jazz this summer, it’s practical to be concerned with how the team’s chemistry will fare in 2019-20.

Like it or not, the Utah Jazz have undeniably had some significant weaknesses the past couple seasons. The team lacked shooting, creators, and in spite of having Rudy Gobert and an overall great defense, at times they were missing a much-needed defensive versatility.

In other words it was an imperfect Jazz team, as we all knew evidenced by them falling short in consecutive postseasons to the Houston Rockets. But, say what you will about their deficiencies and all they lacked, this team was still undoubtedly a fun team to watch and an even more fun team to cheer for.

In spite of shooting struggles from Ricky Rubio, an overwhelming work load for Donovan Mitchell and an awkward frontcourt pairing between Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert, this team has been an absolute blast the past two seasons. Yes, their overall success definitely contributes to that, as does the fact that every member of the squad is an all-around stand-up guy.

But the aspect that perhaps made the Jazz most thrilling to watch and enjoyable to cheer for is the mere fact that they simply liked one another so much. This team had a closeness and bond that is largely uncommon in the NBA. They always displayed an enjoyment for playing with one another and their chemistry was second to none.

Although they ultimately fell short of their illustrious goals, there’s no denying that they were still a great team – one whose whole was far better than the sum of its parts – thanks largely to the unmatched chemistry they developed.

These guys were simply awesome to watch together. From the post-game water bottle celebrations, to the hilarious jokes in the locker room and on social media, to the clear reactions of euphoria they showed on the court and when together. Guys like Rubio, Favors and Jae Crowder, who have all unfortunately now departed, were great teammates and excellent personalities for the Jazz locker room and roster that thrived together thanks to their unmatched cohesion.

Unfortunately, while chemistry is critically important (just ask last year’s highly disappointing Boston Celtics squad), it can only take a team so far. At the end of the day, closeness and friendship wasn’t enough to overcome Utah’s aforementioned weaknesses, and so they had to revamp this offseason and look to patch the holes their former roster had.

They were able to do so marvelously. Mike Conley represents a significant upgrade over Ricky Rubio, particularly in terms of a shooter, floor spacer, shot creator and an extra dynamic threat alongside Donovan Mitchell. Bojan Bogdanovic is a deadly perimeter shooter who makes Utah’s offense far more prolific and versatile. Not to mention, he’s an underrated defender.

Finally, Ed Davis helps soften the blow from losing Derrick Favors by being a high-motor rebounder and a solid asset defensively, while Jeff Green likewise adds a stretch-four defender and shooter that could help the Jazz on both ends.

On paper, the Jazz got a lot better this offseason. Not only did they merely add talent, but they improved very specifically by pinpointing several key weaknesses and patched them up about as perfectly as one could hope given their situation as a small market, non-destination team. That should be good news and very likely will prove to be. But nevertheless, one question stands out very strongly in wake of all these changes.

Will the Utah Jazz chemistry be as strong as it has been the past two years?

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At the end of the day, talent is more important than chemistry overall, but a lack of chemistry can definitely limit a team’s ceiling. So a concern of whether the Jazz will enjoy the same level of cohesion can’t and shouldn’t be overlooked. Fortunately, although I’m sure it will take some time for the new-look roster to get accustomed to one another to the degree that they were with the team of the past two years, I feel confident that the chemistry will remain exceptional.

Yes, the presence of guys like Favors and Rubio will be missed as they were dear friends and great teammates to so many within the Jazz ranks. But the good news is that their replacements are known for being high-character, team-first guys with unselfish attitudes and great locker room presences.

That certainly applies to Mike Conley who is the most recent recipient of both the Teammate of the Year Award and the Sportsmanship Award. Conley has been praised by both teammates and opponents alike as a guy that players would love to join forces with. He’s reputed as a leader on and off the court, someone who elevates his guys but also holds them to a high standard.

By all accounts, he’s a very likable figure who is level-headed, a consummate pro and a relentless competitor. For what it’s worth, he has zero career technical fouls, which speaks to his character and ability to keep his cool. A large reason why Jeff Green wanted to join the Jazz was to be reunited with Conley, and that represents just one example of someone who is thrilled to team up with the Jazz point guard.

His former Memphis teammates all praised him for being exactly the kind of guy anyone would love as a teammate. For all these reasons, Conley should have no problem fitting in seamlessly in Utah as an excellent piece of an already promising locker room. We’ve already seen him working out with Donovan Mitchell and building a relationship with him. He mentioned texting Dante Exum to let him know he could keep his number 11 jersey. All indications are that he’s already fitting in just fine and should only continue to do so.

When it comes to tough personalities to deal with in the locker room, Bojan Bogdanovic is probably the furthest thing possible from being that kind of guy. He was beloved by his Indiana teammates as a selfless, albeit quiet, leader who never butts heads and leads by example by simply coming in day in and day out and doing his job.

He’s a tireless worker with an old school mentality about never missing games or practices, wanting merely to refine his game at every step and making his team the very best it can be. Though he’s not likely to be as rambunctious as guys like Donovan Mitchell, Royce O’Neale or Joe Ingles, he has a reserved sense of humor and an easy to like and appreciate personality that should allow him to fit in just fine.

Meanwhile, I’ve already touched on Green lightly, but him and Davis are guys who aren’t locker room disruptions whatsoever. They’ve put together successful NBA careers focused on hard work and knowing their role. The Jazz have prioritized character, humility and diligence as traits they’re always seeking, and both of those guys fit that mold perfectly.

Lastly, though Emmanuel Mudiay has had a few question marks surrounding him throughout his NBA career, his desire to sign with the small-market Jazz in an effort to grow within their impeccable development program speaks volumes to his intentions and motives in Salt Lake City. He’s not there to squander away his time in a big city or look for the bright lights of a large market. He has joined the Jazz so he can go to work and enhance his game.

That type of mentality should help him similarly fit in seamlessly in the Jazz locker room as he aims to learn from the great examples and mentors around him and reach the sky-high potential that allowed him to be a lottery pick back in 2015.

In short, while yes it’s true that the Jazz lost some guys that were key to their culture and chemistry, they’ve kept the major blocks in place. And more importantly, they’ve added guys that continue to fit the desired culture and mentality to a T. Beginning with Conley and Bogdanovic, who are both renowned teammates and reputed hard workers, trickling down through the ranks of Ed Davis, Jeff Green and Emmanuel Mudiay, the Jazz are loaded with exactly the kind of players you’d like to see to compose a tight-knit roster.

And while the guys that left or were dealt this offseason will undoubtedly be missed in their own unique way, I feel confident saying that it won’t take long for Jazz fans to fall back in love with this new-look team. The Utah Jazz figure to be much better from a talent standpoint, and their chemistry appears on track to be as prolific as ever.

As much fun as the team has been to pull for these past two years, I have a feeling that the 2019-20 edition will have just as good of chemistry and be equally enjoyable to support, if not more so.