5 Glaring Reasons Jazz Aren't Meeting Expectations
Unlike the first year of the Will Hardy regime, the Utah Jazz are falling short of the preseason projections that the oddsmakers set to begin the year. Vegas had Utah pegged as a 34-win team, but where it stands today, the Jazz are on pace for just 26 wins.
So, what’s been the problem as we enter into the second quarter of the season? Can Utah turn the ship around? Let’s examine what's been holding Utah back through the first 22 games of the season.
Bitten by the Injury Bug
Utah got off to a bad start on the injury front right out of the gates, with Walker Kessler injuring his elbow on opening night. Even though he initially played through it, Kessler ultimately was put on the shelf for seven games.
Then you add Utah’s best player, Lauri Markkanen, missing seven games (and counting) along with another four by second-leading scorer Jordan Clarkson, and you have a team that hasn’t had enough talent on the court to keep up with last year’s win total.
Group Lacks Motivation
Last season’s squad started out the year with a lot to play for. It was a group with new beginnings and high hopes that it might be a part of Utah’s bright future. That hasn’t been the case this season.
Some players know they’re not a part of Utah’s long-term plans. Being a pawn to upgrade the roster at a later date is certainly on the table.
Kelly Olynyk, Talen Horton-Tucker, Simone Fontecchio, Collin Sexton, and Clarkson could all be on the move by year's end. Finding the motivation to play for a franchise on the verge of a roster makeover is proving to be difficult.
Growing Pains at PG
Jazz fans should be excited about the potential that’s been seen in point guard Keyonte George. However, having a 20-year-old rookie lead the way comes with challenges. George has some shooting efficiency issues to work through and becoming a bonafide starting point guard in the NBA isn’t happening overnight.
George is shooting only 34% from the field and just 30% from long distance. Those numbers should improve over time, but Jazz fans can expect more growing pains at the point guard position moving forward.
Sophomore Slumps
Second-year players Ochai Agbaji and Kessler haven’t progressed in Year 2 as Jazz fans had hoped for. Kessler started the season in the conversation as a possible Defensive Player of the Year candidate, while Agbaji had a shot at being the starting shooting guard of the future. In their sophomore year, neither player has stood out.
In Year 2, Agbaji looks like the same player he was in his rookie campaign, and Kessler appears to have regressed. The pair has time to turn it around, but it hasn’t been a pretty first quarter of the season in terms of growth for both players.
Turnovers at an Alarming Rate
It’s not going to bode well for a franchise when the most consistent guard is a 20-year-old rookie. When it comes to turnovers, the play of Clarkson, Sexton, and Horton-Tucker has been off-the-charts bad.
The trio is contributing seven turnovers a game to the 17.7 that Utah is currently averaging. The Jazz rank dead last in the league in that department.
To put it in perspective, the Jazz guards are averaging only 1.82 assists for every turnover. Last season, Mike Conley boasted a 4.45 assist-turnover-rate in a Jazz uniform.
Losing Conley is proving to be much more impactful than one thought at the time of the exchange last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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