The Utah Jazz are down but not out and these five players could help get the team back on track.
The Utah Jazz are off to a bad start for the 2023-2024 season. While it’s a long season indeed, the Jazz are just 1-3 after four games and any further losses may make it a late-season run for the playoffs nearly impossible. The team will still have a shot at the play-in tournament, but at that point should the Jazz even want to make it into the post season? If you’re not a Top 6 team, you really don’t have a prayer to win it all.
So entering the draft lottery is the best bet at that point. That said, the Jazz are still loaded with talent, and that talent could help the team get better and right the ship as it were. They just need to actually see that talent be talented. Right now only Lauri Markkanen is showing up night after night as a reliable player.
Every other Jazz player has either been inconsistent at best or nearly unplayable at worst. And the issue seems to be two-fold, the team’s defense and its peremiter shooting. The shooters aren’t hitting there shots and no one seems to be doing well on defense. The defensive part may iron itself out in time, but it may not.
The roster, as is, may just not be good enough. So if the goal is the playoffs, some moves may need to be made and we have some options we think bolster the roster without crippling its long-term health.