The 2021-22 Utah Jazz roster could be conducive to creative lineup mashups.
Versatility is the keyword in Salt Lake City these days. Various sizes. Aging veterans. Youthful talent. Proven weapons in their prime. Yes, the necessary pieces are there to put the Utah Jazz in a position to repeat as regular-season champs and perhaps return them to the NBA Finals for the first time in almost a quarter of a century.
Even so, it’s still the time of year for trades and free-agent pickups. Therefore, the 2021-22 Jazz makeup might change a smidge before the season begins in late October (the full schedule comes out on Friday).
Nevertheless, the core group of rotation players seems all but set in stone at this juncture. And the starting five is likely to be an exact copy of the bunch that fueled a 52-20 record last season.
That said, a dozen or so guys appear worthy of playing time. As a result, eighth-year Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder should enjoy the freedom to get inventive in concocting crazy lineup combinations to keep his counterparts guessing from the opposite bench.
With that in mind, let’s examine three wild possibilities, one at a time: