The Jazz have firmly put themselves in the mix for playoff contention next season with a strong roster. Whether it has been through trades or the NBA draft, Utah has added talent to a young and upcoming team.
The acquisitions of Jaren Jackson Jr. and Darryn Peterson will bolster a core that already was made up of a former All-Star in Lauri Markkanen and breakout guard Keyonte George. Sprinkle in the likes of Ace Bailey, Isaiah Collier, Brice Sensabuagh, and Jusuf Nurkic and the Jazz have themselves a deep rotation.
Finding the right roles and rotations will be key for head coach Will Hardy as the team will need to utilize each player’s strengths to get the most out of this group.Â
In order to win in the NBA you need to have star talent, but you also need players who can do the little things like play strong defense and buy into a certain role. Utah added Josh Okogie this offseason with hopes he can fill that type of role but the team has a homegrown talent that could also fit that mold.Â
It’s a pivotal third year for Cody Williams
The former 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft has struggled to find consistency in his first two years in the NBA but as more minutes became available towards the end of last season, Williams began to flash the potential that made him a top-10 pick.
In a March 15th game against the Kings, Williams poured in a career-high 34 points and grabbed seven rebounds. It was the peak of a strong stretch of games from Williams to close out the regular season.
In the Salt Lake City Summer League opener, Williams showcased some more growth. He recorded 17 points and five rebounds while also giving fans an exciting poster dunk.
Williams followed up that performance with another solid outing of 18 points and eight rebounds in the second game.Â
In two games in the Las Vegas Summer league, Williams averaged 8.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 42.9% from the field and 50% from three. It should be noted that in his second and final appearance in Vegas, Williams struggled and finished with 0 points on just two shots in 23 minutes of action.
It’s not how you’d want to finish out your Summer League, but Jazz fans should be excited for what Williams showed in the three games spanning Salt Lake and Vegas.Â
The 3-point is improving, the athleticism and defense remain enticing, and overall growth is showing.Â
It will be interesting to see what this Utah rotation will look like come opening night, but Hardy will have plenty of depth to choose from. An athletic wing like Williams can give the Jazz another player to be a 3-and-D option, but only if his development continues.
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