Utah Jazz: The one player showing significant signs of growth

At 8-5, the Utah Jazz have managed to split the difference between unqualified success and unmitigated failure so far in the 2021-22 season. Most fans were probably hoping for a better placement than 5th in the Western Conference at this point in the season. However, the 4th seeded Nuggets are 9-5, and the 3rd seeded Mavericks are 9-4. Only the Warriors (11-2) and Suns (10-3) are significantly clear of the Jazz as it stands today. 

Perhaps the most troubling trend for the Utah Jazz to-date is the general lack of improvement from players throughout the team. Jordan Clarkson, Bojan Bogdanovic, Joe Ingles and Mike Conley are having undeniably worse seasons than they delivered in 2020-21. Donovan Mitchell is scoring at a slightly higher volume at slightly lower efficiency: he’s effectively stagnated.

Luckily, at least one Jazzman has taken a step forward this season.

Utah Jazz forward Royce O’Neale is having a career season

Royce O’Neale has delivered on any reasonable expectation of him in 2021-22. Admittedly, his three-point efficiency has trended as downward as most of Quin Snyder’s rotation regulars, as he’s shooting 30% on 3.8 attempts per contest. That’s down from 38.5% on 3.9 attempts last season. However, it’s worth noting that his field goal percentage has ticked slightly upward, from 44.4% to 46.8%.

Regardless, it’s on the defensive end that O’Neale has really stepped forward.

Utah Jazz forward Royce O’Neale is an elite defender

Defense is notoriously difficult to quantify. Advanced metrics give us some indication of a player’s impact, but they’re frequently impacted by variables a player can’t control, like who they share the floor with. However, if we take good old-fashioned steals per game as an indication of defensive impact, Royce O’Neale is having a career season.

His 1.8 thefts per contest are by far a career high, as his next best average throughout his career has been 0.8. Overall, that mark lands him 11th in the entire National Basketball Association.

If advanced metrics are more your speed, he’s also posting career best figures in Defensive Box Plus Minus (DBPM) at 2.3, and Defensive Rating at 105. Beyond numbers, the eye test finds O’Neale defending with more rigor than ever before. He is the best perimeter defender on the Utah Jazz.

It’s puzzling that with O’Neale having a career season in terms of point prevention, and Rudy Gobert continuing to be Rudy Gobert, the Jazz have regressed on defense.

If that tenacious tandem can get some more help from their teammates, this Jazz club projects to take a significant leap forward in terms of their Defensive Rating. In the meantime, any team-wide regression on that end absolutely cannot be blamed on O’Neale.

O’Neale is enjoying a career year that may earn him some All-Defensive team nods. Now, the Utah Jazz just need to begin trending in the same direction.