What is the aftermath for the Utah Jazz if the season is canceled?

If the 2019-20 NBA season ends up being canceled altogether, how might that impact the Utah Jazz and their roster moving forward?

64 games into their season, the Utah Jazz hold a 41-23 record and a loose hold on the Western Conference’s No. 4 seed. It’s been a season set by high expectations and followed up with inconsistency from both the team as a whole and some of its individual players. Despite that, Quin Snyder’s bunch is in a relatively good spot.

That was, until, the COVID-19 pandemic set in. It hit home early on for Utah, as it was revealed that Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell both contracted the virus. Shortly thereafter, the NBA announced it was suspending play and several other sporting leagues and events alike followed suit.

More from Hoops Habit

• 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
• Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
• Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
• Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
• NBA Trades: The Lakers bolster their frontcourt in this deal with the Pacers

It’s not certain when — or if — play will resume. The government has extended its federal social distancing guidelines until the end of April, adding fuel to the fire. There have been ideas tossed around in regards to how to continue the season, but safety comes first. In the event the remainder of this campaign is canceled, what would that mean for the Jazz?

First and foremost, the Mike Conley experiment would be put on hold for another season. Utah put a lot of its eggs in the same basket last offseason when it decided to pull the trigger and trade for the steady point guard. He’s been anything but steady in 2019-20, battling inconsistency and injuries for months. Conley carries a $34.5 million player option for 2020-21 that he’s almost certain to accept.

Contract negotiations with Donovan Mitchell would also shift into the center of the franchise’s attention. Whether the third-year guard is the Jazz’s best or second-best player is neither here nor there. He’s got superstar potential and just made his first All-Star team at the age of 23. His ceiling alone makes him worth the max contract offer. “Spida” and the Jazz will be together for years to come.

Rudy Gobert is the second-biggest fish to fry. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year has cemented his status as one of the best centers in the entire league. In addition to completely altering the opposition’s gameplan, Gobert excels in the pick-and-roll and is an efficient player on offense.

His contract runs through the end of next season. Outside of Mitchell possibly not seeing eye-to-eye with him as of late, Gobert’s viewed as a beloved and critical piece of the puzzle. He’s the heart and soul of the Jazz.

Lastly, Jordan Clarkson has emerged as one of the league’s best sixth men. In 34 games since being acquired from the Cleveland Cavaliers, the 27-year-old has averaged 15.6 points per game on 48.2 percent shooting from the field and 36.6 percent on 3-pointers. Not only is he the spark plug Utah desperately needed, but he’s a perfect fit in the locker room. Clarkson will be a free agent this offseason, but retaining him would be huge.

A little less than a year ago, general manager Dennis Lindsey realized he had a unique opportunity to compete for a championship. With Mitchell’s rookie contract still in place, the Utah Jazz have had more flexibility to spend than most other contenders. A highly-anticipated splash move came when Conley was acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies. Now, for the next year at least, Lindsey will have to live with the results.

If the season ends without seeing how the Utah Jazz take shape come playoff time, some questions will be left unanswered. Was Conley truly on the uptick? Does Mitchell have what it takes to go toe-to-toe with the league’s powerhouses in the postseason? Can he and Gobert mend their temporarily damaged relationship?

Luckily for Utah, though, the probability of running it back with generally the same crew in 2020-21 is high. We’ll get answers soon enough.