Utah Jazz: 3 candidates to make biggest leap next season
By Jakob Perez
One method to bolster the Utah Jazz roster is continued development within.
The historic 2020-21 Utah Jazz season, which saw them enter the postseason as the No. 1 team in the Western Conference, has finally come to a halt. Their second-round matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers started as well as the Jazzmen could have hoped, winning their first two games.
After that, however, their dream start turned into a nightmare.
An ankle injury slowed down Donovan Mitchell, and the Jazz had no answer for Clippers stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Los Angeles went on to win four in a row, knocking out Utah and crushing its title aspirations.
This matchup with the Clippers exposed a handful of Jazz weaknesses. And while the 24-year-old Mitchell has proven ready for the bright lights, other players will have to make a leap next season if the franchise is going to make it to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1998.
So the question is, which Jazzman needs to make the biggest leap next season? Well, let’s look at three candidates, one at a time…