Utah Jazz: 2018-19 NBA season preview
By KC Whitten
The 2018-19 NBA season is only a week away. Let’s preview the Utah Jazz, who enter the upcoming season with high expectations.
The start of the 2018-19 NBA season is less than two weeks away, and the excitement is building in Salt Lake City. The Utah Jazz are expected to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference, and have the roster in place to possibly make a deep run in the playoffs.
The Jazz are coming off a 48-34 season in 2017-18, and entered the postseason as the fifth seed out West. After pulling off an upset against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round, they were ousted by the Houston Rockets in five quick games. Though they’ve made the playoffs the past two years, the Jazz can’t seem to get past the second round, where they have a combined record of 1-8.
It was a quiet offseason in Salt Lake City, with no major free agents acquired. The Jazz will enter the season with mostly the same roster as last year, with newly drafted Grayson Allen being the only high-profile addition to the team.
Though continuity and chemistry won’t be an issue for Utah, the upcoming season should produce some compelling storylines. The development of Donovan Mitchell, questions surrounding the future of Derrick Favors, and whether or not the roster can stay healthy for the bulk of the season will all be talking points throughout the year.
Let’s begin our season preview by analyzing the roster changes that occurred this offseason.