ESPN's Latest Win Projection for Utah Jazz Forecasts Lowly Fate

The Utah Jazz could have a bumpy road ahead of them for the 2024-25 season.

Nov 17, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) and head coach Will Hardy speak while the Phoenix Suns shoot free throws in the fourth quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The Utah Jazz have made it clear through the lead-up into the looming 2024-25 NBA season that this year is one where prioritizing their young core and development will be at the forefront.

However, in the process of this team's rebuild honing in on player development this coming campaign, the Jazz may ultimately fall victim to stumbling a bit behind the league standings, dropping a bit further down the ranks in terms of win-loss than they did last season.

Heading into next week's training camps opening up around the NBA, ESPN has released their latest record predictions for each of the 30 teams around the league and effectively gave the Jazz some hard truth revolving around what the 2024-25 year could hold.

ESPN placed the Jazz with a projected win total of 29.2 games, which, if it came to fruition, would put them at their worst season since their 25-57 campaign suffered in 2013-14. The prediction also places them as the lowest-ranked team in the Western Conference, along with a bottom-three win total across the entire NBA,

"Having pivoted to young talent after the trade deadline each of the past two seasons, the Jazz have fewer veterans left on the roster to help keep them competitive over the first half of the season. Even with an extension for Lauri Markkanen, Utah has the West's lowest projection because of a youthful core of guards featuring recent first-round picks Isaiah Collier, Keyonte George and Cody Williams."

- Kevin Pelton. ESPN

After an offseason bolstering together more young talent and retaining their top guy in Lauri Markkanen, the roster looks notably similar to how it did in the second half of last season. Yet, during that stretch, the Jazz went 5-21 past the All-Star Break, leading to some added pessimism about what this year could hold.

It's not to say that there won't be any significant growth to generate on this roster. Guys like Keyonte George, Taylor Hendricks, and Walker Kessler will have an extended opportunity to grow into their respective roles within their second and third years in the league and provide a solid stepping stone heading into next season when this roster may be more equipped to win games.

But in a continuously improving Western Conference, and one which could have close to 12-13 teams making a serious run for the Play-In Tournament, expectations should be tempered for the Jazz to make an early season run in the standings as they have for the past two years. Head coach Will Hardy has proven to have the ability to make more out of less, but with this young core seemingly at the forefront, ESPN's desolate projection may be on the right track.

The Jazz will get back to action soon, as training camp will officially open on Tuesday, October 1st.

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