Jazz 2025 Draft Outlook: Early Tank Race Check-In

Can the Utah Jazz bottom out in their third year of a rebuild?

Oct 28, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Utah Jazz at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

While most teams have their eyes set on the top of the NBA standings, the Utah Jazz and a handful of other rebuilding teams look the opposite way. As the losses pile up, so do the odds of attaining a top draft pick in a solid 2025 class. 

Before the season, it was clear that a handful of teams would be competitive in the tank standings. Many questioned whether the Jazz would be able to throw their hat into the “Sag for Flagg” or “Race for Ace” competitions. So far, the Jazz look the part of a bad team that will be at the bottom of the Western Conference standings. Let’s take a look at their competition. 

Too Good to Tank 

Many picked the Portland Trail Blazers to pace the conference in losses. Despite this, they’ve started the season at a respectable 7-10. They currently have a nice mix of veteran and youth production. It’s worth noting that they could take a step backward by trading some of those veterans, but right now, they look like little competition for the Jazz. 

The Brooklyn Nets are another team that is exceeding expectations early. At 7-10, they’re another team open for business this trade season. As a Jazz fan, I root for the Nets to win as many games as possible before February 6th. 

The Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets, and Chicago Bulls each look like teams that could push toward the play-in tournament. The first two, in particular, already have a solid base of high draft picks and now could be looking to start winning games. 

Nightmarish Starts 

While all of the teams getting off to solid starts is good for the Jazz, as mentioned earlier, there have been a couple of teams that have greatly underperformed. The Philadelphia 76ers were expected to contend for a championship this year. Despite this, they are a horrendous 3-13. Injuries, underperforming stars, lack of cohesion—whatever it is, the Sixers need to turn it around quickly. 

They’re not alone in this category. The New Orleans Pelicans are sitting at 4-13 but have a valid excuse that the majority of their roster has missed time due to injury. As guys return to the lineup, the arrow should start pointing up for the Pels. Unfortunately, oft-injured star Zion Williamson does not seem close to a return. 

The Real Competition 

Right now, the Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors, and Jazz are in a three-horse race to the bottom of the standings. 

Washington has fully embraced a youth movement this year. They’ve only won two games and are currently riding an eleven-game losing streak. This team won 15 games last year and got worse over the summer. They should be the favorite for the worst record in the league.

The Raptors have their eyes on the prize as well. They’ve had their share of injuries early in the season and look to be taking a cautious approach to getting guys like Immanuel Quckley, Scottie Barnes, and Kelly Olynyk on the court. The Raptors are 6-32 in their past 38 contests dating back to last year. 

Overall, the Wizards and Raptors will give the Jazz a run for their money. On the bright side, the bottom three teams all get the same odds of winning the first overall pick in the lottery. Add in that there will be plenty of wins to be had between these Eastern Conference teams. This race is a long way from over.

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