Ranking every season in Utah Jazz franchise history

2017-18 Utah Jazz Record: 48-34, Lost NBA Western Conference Semifinals to Houston Rockets 1-4

The 2017-18 Utah Jazz are not fundamentally different from the group of Jazzmen that fans know and love today. Donovan Mitchell led this group in scoring in his rookie campaign with 20.5 points per game. Meanwhile, Rudy Gobert may not have been as fully realized as the 2021-22 version, but with 13.5 points per game, 10.7 rebounds per game and 2.3 blocks per game, he was fully entrenched as the team’s starting center.

The Jazz’s All-Star duo weren’t the only familiar faces in 2017-18. Joe Ingles authored a breakout season with the only NBA franchise he’s ever known with averages of 11.5 points, 4.8 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game. Royce O’Neale was a 24-year-old rookie as well, although in 16.7 minutes per game he wasn’t ready to make the impact that he does in 2021-22.

The most satisfying development in this Jazz season was Donovan Mitchell’s readiness to assume the position of number one offensive option. The team was a year removed from Gordon Hayward’s unexpected departure, and expected to regress in the absence of a star offensive player. Instead, they began one of the most successful eras in the team’s history.

On the novelty side, Stockton suited up for the 2017-18 Utah Jazz. David Stockton, that is. The son of the franchise icon suited up for 3 games for the Jazzmen before he was released.

As talented as this team was, a rookie Spida wasn’t ready to lead them past a Houston Rockets team headlined by an elite backcourt of James Harden and Chris Paul.