The Utah Jazz will start the 2024-25 season a week from now. Following a very entertaining preseason, fans will finally get to see what exactly lies ahead for Utah.
Preseason doesn't mean anything but it gives a sneak peek of what the Jazz could look like. It's not that any of their individual players look downright amazing, but they as a team look like, well, a team. The Jazz have an opportunity to put their name in the hat for Cooper Flagg, but who knows if they are going to do it?
That's why there are several storylines to pay attention as the season starts.
The Jazz might not be that bad... again.
It's not going to count for anything long-term, but after beating the Kings - with both teams playing their regular guys - the Jazz might be in for another season like the last two. Despite many rooting for the Jazz to embrace the rebuild, they might just be too good for it. Again.
Lauri Markkanen is who he is, and he might get better. The Jazz have a bunch of veterans who can help make a winning product when they are on the floor. Plus, regarding the kids, one or several of them could take a leap, which could make all the difference in how their season goes.
The question will be whether they rectify this to ensure that they stay among the NBA's worst teams or tell themselves that they should just roll with what they have.
Collin Sexton might be part of the future
It's been suggested that Sexton might follow the same path as Lauri Markkanen in Utah, and it's honestly not that crazy. He's not among the best guards in the NBA, but that doesn't mean he's not potentially useful down the line.
Know how the Jazz were involved in trade rumors throughout the offseason? Sexton got mentioned, but not often, and there may have been a reason for that. He can score for sure, but the playmaking, that's a good sign and might indicate that Utah's best option with Sexton is to keep him long-term.
As long as it's getting results, why not?
Walker Kessler's return to form could mean a lot of things
Another day, another subject where we talk Walker Kessler's future in Utah. They never seemed to die down, though they never seemed to go anywhere. Kessler has looked much more like the player the Jazz loved to see in his rookie season. If he returns to form this season, that's good for the Jazz.
While that would potentially mean he'll stick around, what if it's possible that the Jazz use his improvement to up the price in a trade? No one will know for sure. No matter what, it is great to see Kessler look like his old self again.
Which of the Jazz's young players will actually play?
Unsurprisingly, Keyonte George looks like he could take another leap this season. He looked the most promising out of all the Jazz's youngsters at the end of last season and this preseason, he didn't do anything to dissuade fans from believing in his potential.
While he'll be a starter, all eyes will be on who among Taylor Hendricks, Brice Sensabaugh, Cody Williams, Isaiah Collier, and Kyle FIlipowski will factor into their rotation. There's a solid chance that none of them will, but there's just enough promise among those five that it's not crazy to suggest that at least one of them is a rotation regular.
This could also depend on who fits best with the rotation. Collier looks like he's the most NBA-ready of the bunch, while Hendricks looks like he has a high ceiling. It's still a promising group, but Utah might not see the results from them right away.