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3 reasons Utah Jazz will make the 2019 NBA Playoffs

By KC Whitten

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 07: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz talks with Quin Snyder of the Utah Jazz during a break in action against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on March 7, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 07: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz talks with Quin Snyder of the Utah Jazz during a break in action against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on March 7, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images /

3. Roster continuity

Every summer, the majority of franchises in the NBA tweak their roster by releasing players, and chasing after free agents to improve the team for the following season. The Utah Jazz are one of the few exceptions to the rule. The only player in last year’s rotation that won’t be making a return to Salt Lake City is Jonas Jerebko.

Utah coach Quin Snyder is known for developing talent from within, and will enter the season with returning players who played 88 percent of the team’s minutes last year — and for good reason. The Jazz finished the 2017-18 season on fire, going 29-6 and making it to the second round of the playoffs.

The late-season surge proved the current roster is resilient. The first half was atrocious, with the team going 19-28 and staring at the potential of being a lottery team. Once the roster started to click around mid-January, they transformed into one of the more dominant teams in the league.

More importantly, the team has fully bought into Snyder’s system and agrees with the lack of change in personnel. Jazz guard Dante Exum explained to Kyle Goon of the Salt Lake Tribune the reasoning behind not adding new players.

"“We don’t want to be teaching guys to catch up with our system,” Exum said. “We had a lot of ups and downs. Hopefully we can continue from there.”"

The more successful franchises in the NBA all have continuity to their roster. The Golden State Warriors have kept their core group intact for years. For 14 of the past 20 seasons, the San Antonio Spurs have returning players who make up 75 percent of their minutes.

The Jazz have molded their roster in hopes they can emulate the success of the Spurs. With a returning roster that won’t experience the growing pains of last season, a 50-win season and top-three seed in the playoffs is possible.

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