The Utah Jazz may be 4-8, but head coach Will Hardy has them playing in a way that suggests success isn't as far out as it may seem. The ball is moving, the energy is electric, and the players seem to be playing for each other rather than for themselves.
Whether or not the Jazz right the ship during the 2025-26 season, Hardy is instilling values and habits in his players that will benefit them for years to come.
Hardy is in his fourth season as head coach of the Jazz and has yet to lead the team to the playoffs. That's created an unavoidable sense of impatience and pressure that's growing even within the most optimistic of camps.
The reason Utah remains uniquely patient with the 37-year-old head coach, however, is that what he's teaching to his players seems to be getting through.
Utah may not be winning games, but even a quick glance at film will reveal a team that's operating within a promising offensive system. The ball is moving, players are doing the same, and sacrifices are being made to support their teammates' success.
There are still hurdles that Hardy himself must overcome, but if the Jazz stay the course, they could end the playoff drought sooner than later.
Will Hardy has the Jazz playing as a team—even if they're not winning yet
Utah currently ranks No. 1 in the NBA in screen assists and points via screen assists per game. That alone offers reason to be intrigued by how the off-ball players are enabling the playmakers and shot creators to generate offense.
That only scratches the surface of what's becoming a well-oiled machine that may simply be the ideal internal development away from making noise in the Western Conference.
On a per-game basis, Utah is No. 3 in the NBA in potential assists, No. 4 in assist points created, No. 5 in assists, and No. 11 in passes made. The Jazz are unfortunately still No. 23 in offensive rating, but the other statistics listed reveal a clear and effective effort to generate team offense.
The hurdle on offense is overcoming the fact that the team ranks No. 22 in isolation points and No. 24 in points via drives, but the proper fundamentals are being taught nevertheless.
On the other end of the floor, Utah's results have failed to reflect its effort. It ranks No. 24 in defensive rating, thus placing it among the worst teams in the NBA. In saying that, the Jazz are also No. 12 in charges drawn and No. 13 in shots contested.
It's yet another instance of the overall results not necessarily reflecting the quality strides being made in the process of reaching a consistently strong level of performance.
Considering five of the nine team leaders in minutes played are 22 or younger, the fact that positive habits are being taught is an essential factor to consider. It's also worth noting that another of those nine individuals is Walker Kessler, who's 24 years of age and has suffered a season-ending injury.
No one wants to settle for less than success, but Utah is doing all of the right things under Hardy and should feel confident in the message he's sending to his players.