The Utah Jazz missed the playoffs in 2015-16. Has their offseason been good enough to prevent the same from happening next season?
The Utah Jazz don’t often find themselves within the headlines of a major offseason signing or trade, mainly because they have yet to pursue and land a polarizing superstar.
The same has occurred this summer, except the Jazz did make a few moves that could prepare them for a major jump in the Western Conference standings when the regular season is all said-and-done.
Last season’s 40-42 regular-season record left them out of the playoff picture by just one game. They still made a push for postseason play considering all of the injuries and missed time to key players such as Alec Burks, Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors.
But as 2016-17 approaches, their roster is revamped with veteran playoff experience to help not only get them over the top, but potentially start contending for the fourth place in the West.
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Point guard has been an ongoing issue for the Jazz ever since Deron Williams was traded during the 2010-11 season. Since then, they’ve tried drafting Trey Burke, who put up respectable averages as a rookie, but never quite fit the mold of the system ran in Utah.
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Then, they drafted
Dante Exumthe following year to ensure their future at the position. The 19-year-old at the time had major adjustments to make to the NBA game, but still showed some potential to become the floor general the Jazz were looking for.
During Australia’s European tour last summer, Exum suffered a torn ACL, ruling him out for the entire 2015-16 season.
This summer, there has been transactions made to ensure quality depth and starting experience. The Jazz traded for eight-year point guard George Hill in a three-team trade with the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks.
Hill averaged 12.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game last season and has significant postseason experience by helping lead his teams to the playoffs in seven of his eight NBA seasons.
Head coach Quin Snyder can finally head into a season with confidence that his system will be conducted correctly and efficiently.
The next key signing was locking up 15-year veteran Joe Johnson. Last season, Gordon Hayward played the majority of the time at small forward while Rodney Hood started at shooting guard.
Even with Hood having a breakout season, the move now gives Snyder the chance to bring him off the bench and start Hayward at shooting guard and Johnson at small forward.
Once Burks makes his recovery, having him and Hood coming off the bench could be the most lethal bench duo in the league. Johnson will provide outside shooting and floor-spacing for big men like Gobert and Favors to operate in the paint.
Not only that, but Johnson’s experience in big moments in postseason play could help them extensively once the playoffs start.
Boris Diaw was a very under-the-radar pickup by the Jazz, but if you’ve watched any San Antonio Spurs basketball in the past, you know he’s one of the most savvy veterans still today.
His averages of 6.4 points and 3.1 rebounds won’t jump out at you, but when he is in the game he can help an offense flow to perfection. Defensively, he still somehow manages to be respectable when guarding athletic stretch power forwards.
His presence alone both on and off the court will do wonders for this young Jazz teams throughout next season.
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With all this being said, the Jazz still have Hayward and Gobert, two guys who continue to blossom into the All-Star conversation.
Hayward is one of the craftiest scorers on the wing averaging 19.7 points per game while Gobert is an absolute force in the paint on both sides of the floor as shown by his 11-rebound and 2.2-block per game averages.
The players acquired this summer will only continue to fill those two players potential and in the end, make the Jazz a much stronger team in the gauntlet that is the Western Conference.
It’s extremely difficult to predict what will take place next season as we sit here at the end of July, but it’s likely Oklahoma City will drop out of the top-four picture that they’ve been in heading into the postseason.
That leaves teams like the Jazz and the Portland Trail Blazers to make a push and insert themselves next to to juggernauts in the Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio Spurs, and Golden State Warriors.
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There’s too much that needs to unfold to guarantee that the Jazz are prepared to make such a monumental leap, but they are following the right path to do just that. Now, it’ll come down to the ultimate two staples in having a great team: staying healthy and execution.