No matter which way it is sliced the Utah Jazz season has been a complete success.
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The future of the Jazz team looks extremely bright and so illuminating that it would take the length of Rudy Gobert, Derrick Favors and Dante Exum combined to reach it.
Even with the 38-43 losing record, this team has embodied the vision of general manager Dennis Lindsey.
The Jazz are on their way to becoming the modern-day version of the San Antonio Spurs and the new-age version of Atlanta Hawks, meaning that they have a deep team of talented players from one through 12.
Fans will have to remain a little patient because being the youngest team in the NBA means that players are going to develop their offensive games at different paces (that would be you, Gobert and Exum).
It was plain to see that when the Jazz played against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night that their whole roster is fairly strong, and they do in fact have a deep team.
Each team had players resting as the Jazz played without Gordon Hayward because of an Achilles tendon, Trey Burke with a back injury and Derrick Favors because of a coach’s decision. On the other end of the court the Mavericks rested Dirk Nowitzki, Tyson Chandler and Monta Ellis and because with a playoff spot guaranteed they couldn’t risk injury.
Their absence only helped the Jazz to one of their most balanced nights offensively in the entire season because all eleven of the players that participated in this game with a Jazz jersey on scored points. What was more surprising to see was other players not named Rodney Hood or Gobert show up to dominate. Instead, we got to see the true star of the show, Bryce Cotton.
Less than a week ago I referred to Cotton as a passing version of Aaron Brooks and less than a week later I’m happy I said it. Cotton can really fill up the scoring column.
He was so dominant that it looked like he was on his way to becoming the starting point guard of the team. Cotton came off the bench and lead all scorers with 21 points. He also chipped in with four assists, and one steal and he shot better than 50% percent from the floor.
Did we mention that he did this?
*On another note: The way that Cotton has played during the 14 games that he played in, he’s going to command more playing time next season. In his last three games he’s managed to score double figures, scoring 21 points and 11 points twice, respectively. Between Exum and Burke ,whoever’s playing backup point guard next year should be warned.
The true extent of the promising season is the fact that the Jazz have found cornerstones in their franchise. This season it has been awesome to see the way that Gordon Hayward looks like he’s ready to become a Western Conference All-Star and potentially an All-NBA team member.
Hayward has shown that he’s the clutch player that the Jazz should look to late in the game and the person that the offense should go through on the perimeter.
On the block the Jazz have another cornerstone on their roster and someone who could make the All-Star game before Hayward in Derrick Favors.
Though Favors is quiet and humble he’s really the person who the Jazz should truly start to build around. It’s difficult to find a young, athletic and gifted power forward not named Anthony Davis in the league. Favors like Davis can stretch the floor with his shooting, he can rebound, block shots, and he’s a great when it comes to using screens.
The editor-in-chief of SLCDunk.com, Amar Smith, said this when he spoke about Favors:
"The most skilled big man of Utah. He leads them not by his words but by his actions. Favors is ready to be the Power Forward of Utah. Utah is not just a pit stop for him like it was for Carlos Boozer. No.He is ready to ascend to the throne that only the Mailman once owned. Next year, Derrick Favors will climb from out of the shadow of Malone and begin his legacy of one of the great big men in Utah’s history. Many might not even notice it because he won’t talk about it. He’ll just do it."
I couldn’t agree more with his words (guess who’s working on a Favors-Malone story shortly?)
We haven’t even mentioned how the young players and rookies on the roster are going to develop as well. If they practice on the deficiencies in their game, (i.e, low post offense, spot up shooting and finishing in the lane) Gobert, Burke, Exum, Ingles, Hood, and Elijah Millsap all will become better players in their second year.
Add those rookies and young players with a proven young scorer in the league in a healthy Alec Burks and the Jazz realistically have a shot a playoff spot.
Let’s not forget about the 2015 NBA Draft where the Jazz will also be selecting in the lottery to help bolster their youth movement, where they could even pick players like Kris Dunn or Stanley Johnson.
In all honesty who needs the No. 1 pick? Not the Jazz and that’s a sentence that no one could have said about eight months ago. That feat alone is progression and the fact that the Jazz don’t have to rely on the lottery for success is even more of a reason to celebrate their promising future.
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