Projecting the Utah Jazz Championship Window: Part II

Predictions, League Parity

I’ve broken up eight teams into three different tiers, with a few honorable mentions that could certainly crash the contender party sooner rather than later.

Don’t Forget About Us:

Golden State Warriors: C’mon. Steph and Klay are still there, and they can flip D’Angelo Russell for a package of players to replenish their bench depth. Draymond Green can still maximize himself in Steve Kerr’s system.  San Francisco is a big market that could attract free agents, which is why that rumor of Giannis Antetokounmpo going to the Bay isn’t that far-fetched.

Dallas Mavericks: Luka Doncic might be a top-5 player in the league. Not in the future, but right now. And Kristaps Porzingis will complement that beautifully, meaning contender status could soon be making its return to Dallas. Give them a year or two for other contenders to slide off the map, and for management to replenish the supporting cast around those two Euros, and they will be tough to beat.

Portland Trail Blazers: They have hit their ceiling with the CJ McCollum/Damian Lillard duo, and are already hard-capped on salary. However, they could still add a third star by flipping Hassan Whiteside‘s expiring contract at the trade deadline, and there is still the possibility that either Anfernee Simons or Zach Collins pans out as the missing piece to their championship puzzle.

Short-Term title windows:

Houston Rockets: 1-2 years; basically if they don’t win the title in the next couple of years, they will never get there unless they make serious changes to their roster. Their owner Tilman Fertitta basically said as much this offseason, so the clock is ticking in Houston.

Brooklyn Nets: 1-3 years (starting next season); this would be 2-4 years were it not for Kevin Durant’s season going down the drain thanks to an Achilles tear. Given that Durant and Kyrie Irving are not the most loyal players to franchises, I just can’t picture a long-term dynasty here.

Los Angeles Lakers: 2-3 years; LeBron James and Anthony Davis can become the most terrifying 1-2 punch in the league, but when LeBron declines and eventually bows out, Davis still keeps them relevant but not as serious contenders.

Utah Jazz: 2-4 years; even if the Jazz don’t win a ring by 2021, I can still see Gobert taking a pay cut to give it another go. He has constantly emanated a winning attitude both on and off the court, and Jazz management can be creative to replace the aging Conley if/when needed.

Long-Term title window:

Los Angeles Clippers: 2-5 years; depending on if their star duo re-ups in 2021, the Clippers can stay contenders as long as they have a healthy duo of Kawhi Leonard (28) and Paul George (29) in their primes.

Potential Dynasties:

Milwaukee Bucks: 5-10 years; now this is a big assumption here that Giannis Antetokounmpo decides to stay in Milwaukee. If he continues to develop his game, I can see him becoming a staple in the NBA Finals, the same way LeBron James did it for nearly a decade. By feasting from the weak Eastern Conference.

Denver Nuggets: 5-12 years; just remember that Nikola Jokic is only 24 years old, and his teammate Jamal Murray is only 22. Jokic already picks apart defenses with his body in bad conditioning. I think if the Joker plays his cards right, he can continue to dominate well into his 30s.

Philadelphia 76ers: 6-8 years; Joel Embiid is only 25, and Ben Simmons is 23. If they stay together and improve a little bit, they can give us an epic clash of the titans in the Eastern Conference with the Milwaukee Bucks.

They say that an NBA title this year is more realistic than it has been for half a decade. That is true, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be easy.

Instead of having to fight off two or three contending teams, the true champions of the 2019-20 season will have to stand out above eight different teams. There is more competition this year, but also a lack of a super team.

My point is if the Jazz can maintain their title window longer and outlast current contenders, they might get the best of both worlds where there is a lack of a superteam and not as much competition. If I were a betting man, I would bet more on my mustang in a 5 horse race than a 10 horse race. The pathway to the ultimate finish line is clearer and there are fewer obstacles.

The Jazz have set themselves up nicely to be a playoff and title-contending team this season and the next. Here’s to hoping that Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert continue to evolve into rock solid pillars for the Utah Jazz organization aiming for sustained success.

All stats are a courtesy of basketball-reference.com