Predicting the top 5 leading scorers on the Jazz

Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports)
Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports) /
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There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Utah Jazz as they gear up for the 2023 NBA season. Will they replace Rudy Gobert with any degree of success? Will Donovan Mitchell even remain a Jazzman? The same could be asked for Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic, or new addition Patrick Beverly.

Utah Jazz: Who will lead the way?

The Jazz as they currently stand have no shortage of firepower. Clarkson, Bojan, and Mitchell are all elite scorers, and Beverly and Malik Beasley can put the ball in the hoop quite well. There are still a lot of questions to be asked, but as the roster is now, there is no reason to think this team won’t be talented offensively.

The Jazz were the seventh-highest scoring team in the league, took more shots from deep than everyone aside from the Timberwolves, and were actually quite efficient as a team. As they are currently constructed, there are actually plenty of good options to lead the way on the offensive end of the ball.

#5: Malik Beasley

Assuming the Jazz don’t make any moves–which is a big ask–then Malik Beasley and Jordan Clarkson should both be big-time bench scorers. Beasley has not had a magnificent career, but he is a deadeye shooter with high volume and has shown he can average 15 points for a long stretch.

Coming off the bench, Clarkson ought to hold the ball and draw defensive attention, giving Beasley a lot of open looks, which he usually hits. I don’t think he’ll average 20, or anywhere close to that, but he should be the second-best player overall off the bench, and with a perennial Sixth Man of the Year candidate playing, Beasley should have free range.

#4: Patrick Beverly or Mike Conley

Last season, Mike Conley averaged 13.7 points per game. With Gobert gone, that number should go up, closer to 15 a night. That being said, I highly doubt both Conley and Patrick Beverly will start the season on the roster, so whichever of them earns the starting point guard role should take this spot.

Conley is a conventional scoring guard, and Beverly is a hothead who manages to make it work. I’m sure that Mitchell will continue to get attention from the opposing defenses, so Conley will continue to produce and Beverly might emerge as a legitimate scoring threat in year 11.