Bleacher Report Reveals Jazz's 'X-Factor' for Upcoming NBA Season

The Utah Jazz have some names to watch ahead of their 2024 campaign.

Apr 2, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Taylor Hendricks (0) dunks the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the fourth quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

The Utah Jazz walk into the 2024-25 NBA season as a team without many lofty expectations, but that doesn't mean there aren't a few overlooked players sitting on the roster ready to make an impact for the upcoming campaign.

Especially for a young team like the Jazz that's largely unproven and inexperienced, this roster has the opportunity to see a few surprises as the staff gears towards prioritizing their youth movement. There might not be a 50-win season on the way in Salt Lake City, but as this young core starts to get big minutes, there are a few names on the roster with room for growth to keep an eye on.

When pinning who on the Jazz emerges as the team's biggest X-factor in the 2024 NBA season, Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report threw out Taylor Hendricks as Utah's prime candidate, emphasizing his strong defensive and rebounding ability that could keep him on the floor for some extended time in year two:

"Taylor Hendricks didn't deliver on the promise that got him drafted ninth last summer, but it would have been more shocking if he had. The 6'10" forward joined the Utah Jazz with unicorn billing. If everything broke right, he could become the rare three-and-D combo forward who could also protect the rim as a shot-blocker... Ahead of his second year, Hendricks can build on the elite shot-blocking and solid rebounding he flashed upon getting into Utah's rotation after the All-Star break."

- Grant Hughes, Bleacher Report

Hendricks enters a significant opportunity in year two that could turn out to effectively turn the page in his NBA career. The UCF product spent the first half of his rookie campaign stationed in the G-League with the Salt Lake City Stars, but when he emerged as a piece in the NBA rotation later down the road, he stood out as a productive defender-- albeit in limited fashion.

The Jazz rookie spent last season averaging 7.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 0.8 assists while shooting 45.0% from the field and 37.9% from deep. As Hendricks comes into year two ready to make the leap to a starting spot, we could see some immense strides forward from the top-ten pick on both ends of the floor.

Expect Hendricks to enter the fold this next season as a focal point of the Jazz rebuild, with the length and versatility to make plays as a two-way forward, possessing ample room and time to evolve past just a three-and-D threat.

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