The Utah Jazz have the talent to make the playoffs this season. If they do, it will be the first time in Lauri Markkanen's career that he will have made the postseason, a milestone that's been long overdue. Markkanen made it clear during Jazz Media Day that his goals go beyond simply making the playoffs.
While talking with reporters, Markkanen set the bar at not just getting to the postseason, but really letting the West know they wouldn't just be happy to be there.
"Of course we want to make the playoffs and make real noise in the playoffs. That's always the goal."
Markkanen added that the vibes are good and yet the team is locked in during workouts and practice. Nevertheless, this is a telling quote on what his and Utah's goals are this season.
A lot of young teams are just happy to make the playoffs when it's their first time making it. The Jazz are a rare exception because while they boast a lot of young talent, guys like Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. have been in the league long enough to know that the moral victory of simply getting to the postseason won't be enough for them.
Markkanen evidently wants to set the precedent from the jump that, even if there's not much pressure for them to burst out of the gates, the Jazz won't mess around.
It's a perfect balance to start a new chapter
By setting this kind of precedent, the Jazz get to have that balance of "We're not expecting a title just yet, but we are living up to our full potential from the start." Granted, JJJ made it sound like he wants this team to be a title contender earlier in the offseason, and that may be the goal, but it's not the end of the world if they don't.
That's why this season has all the makings of an amazing one ahead. Utah should be ready for just about anything while doing everything they can to reach the highest level they can. It is very much a "Let's just enjoy the ride" kind of experience for them.
It's already going to be a fun enough experience to see Markkanen hopefully and finally play a starring role on a team that has every intention of putting the NBA on notice. Everyone being on the same page is also a key ingredient for Utah to do the most damage possible once the games begin.
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