Jazz Offseason Recap: 4 Biggest Storylines of the Summer

There was a lot to talk about this offseason regarding the Utah Jazz.

Mar 27, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) warms up before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

It's been an eventful offseason for the Utah Jazz. The roster saw its share of changes as Jazz CEO Danny attempts to renovate Utah into a contender entering the third year of the rebuild.

Some offseason rumors had substance, while most were just smoke and mirrors. Either way, Jazz fans are getting a clearer picture of what lies ahead. So, what were the biggest offseason stories that helped shape Utah's roster for the 2024-25 season? Let's examine.

The 'Big Game Hunting' Rumors Never Came to Fruition

Apr 4, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz CEO Danny Ainge watches warms ups before a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Ainge started the offseason with a bang, thanks to his 'Big Game Hunting' comments at his end-of-the-year press conference. The comments certainly got the rumors started, and the speculation that Utah would be making a big move was circulating on Social Media.

Trae Young, Brandon Ingram, and Paul George were among the players rumored to be acquired by the Jazz. However, it was all smoke and mirrors, and Utah did not make a move for an All-Star caliber player.

So, what does this mean moving forward? Jazz fans are in for a year in which player development and draft positioning should take prescience over winning basketball games. It was fun to speculate that Utah was ready to make a big move, but if we're honest, the Jazz are at least a couple of years away from relevance.

Jazz Keep All Three 2024 Draft Picks

Jun 26, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Cody Williams poses for photos with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected in the first round by the Utah Jazz in the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Most pundits believed that Utah was in a position to make some deals heading into the 2024 draft. Utah had the assets to move up the board, but the Jazz decided to stay put when the rubber met the road.

There's a lot of basketball to be played, but the gut reaction was that Utah faired well with all three picks. The No. 10 overall pick, Cody Williams, was rumored to be at the top of Utah's draft board, while Isaiah Collier and Kyle Filipowski were both projected to be long gone before it was Ainge's turn to select.

The Jazz will now have six rostered players from the 2023 and 2024 drafts heading into the 2024-25 campaign. We can expect plenty of player development this season going forward, which bodes well for the fans who want Utah to tank for a top-5 pick.

John Collins and Jordan Clarkson Remain on the Roster

Mar 4, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward/center John Collins (20) helps guard Jordan Clarkson (00) off the ground against the Washington Wizards during the second half at the Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-USA TODAY Sports / Christopher Creveling-USA TODAY Sports

The writing has been on the wall for a while that Clarkson and Collins will most likely not be part of Utah's long-term plans. It made sense that Utah would part ways with the pair this summer, but it's currently trending that both players will be sticking around for a bit.

Neither player has a deal that I would consider team-friendly, and both contracts don't expire until after the 2025-26 season. It's hard to believe that either player would garner much attention in the trade market until next season when the contracts are close to expiring.

This could change if Clarkson or Collins can increase their trade stock with more consistent court play. However, until that happens, we can expect both players to be rostered for the 2024-25 season unless Ainge is open to taking a negative asset back in exchange.

Jazz Re-Sign Lauri Markkanen to 5-year Contract

Mar 25, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) drives against Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) during the third quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

The summer's biggest story was Utah's decision not to trade Markkanen and re-sign their best player to a 5-year contract worth 238 million. Also, Markkanen can't be traded during the season because the deal was signed within six months of the 2025 trade deadline.

The signing was good news for Jazz fans and gave Utah a player to center its rebuild around. However, the signing of Markkanen does raise a question heading into the new year: Can Utah bottom out to a top-5 pick with Markkanen on the roster?

The 2025 draft class is projected to be loaded, led by the University of Duke's Cooper Flagg. Does Utah have a realistic shot at obtaining Flagg, or is there too much veteran talent on the roster to tank the season? Tanking with a rostered Markkanen will be the biggest unanswered question in the future.

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