Jazz Proving the Naysayers Wrong: 3 Reasons Why

We might have underestimated the Utah Jazz.

The Utah Jazz have been very bad this year… at tanking.

Heading into the 2022-23 season, the social media buzz was about the possibility of Utah landing a face-of-the-franchise talent in the 2023 NBA draft. Top-tier NBA prospects Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson were there for the taking, and the timing couldn't be better to throw the season.

If the first two games are any indication of how the season will play out, Jazz fans may want to put the thought of getting a top-five pick to rest.

Let’s dive in and break down why the Jazz are proving the naysayers wrong, and spoiling those fans who hoped for a top-5 draft pick next year. 

Playing With a Chip

This starts with how motivated this group is. The Jazz are playing with a chip on their shoulder, something that head coach Will Hardy pointed out after the game on Friday night.

"I like that our team has a chip on their shoulder," Hardy said. "It brings them closer together every night."

Point guard Collin Sexton has also taken note.

“We’ve heard a lot about what we’re supposed to be," Sexton said. "But, we all have a lot to prove and we all want to embrace the role of being an underdog.”

Tanking the season seemed to be on everybody's agenda — except the coaches and players — and proving the naysayers wrong should continue to add fuel to the fire as the season moves forward.

Future Contracts on the Line

There's a lot of money on the line with this year's crew. Jordan Clarkson, Malik Beasley, Kelly Olynyk, and Jarred Vanderbilt will all be unrestricted free agents in either 2023 or 2024. This is an incredible opportunity for these players to fill up the stat sheet in the quest for a huge payday with an NBA salary cap that’s on the rise.

Also, forward Lauri Markannen may be under club control until 2025, but the offense is now running through the 7-foot sharpshooter. He just might have a stat line that could justify a max contract down the road if he can stay the course. 

Motivation should stay high with the future contracts that will be on the table with this young crew.

Underestimating the Talent Level

With all the talk of tanking the 2022-23 season, it’s been overlooked how much talent is actually on this team. Veteran Mike Conley is only two years removed from an All-Star season. 

Sexton is a proven scorer, and before his injury last year, he put up 24 ppg in 2020-21. Markkanen is a former No. 7 overall pick that averaged 15 ppg as the third option. 

Beasley has proven he can fill it up and averaged 20 ppg just three years ago. Finally, Clarkson is a former Sixth Man of the Year and one of the best shot-creators in the league. In hindsight, the thought of landing Wembanyama or Henderson may have clouded our judgment on what we had right in front of us.

All this being said, two games don’t make a season, and the Jazz still could fall well short of making the playoffs this year, but this group has me engaged out of the gates and looking forward to the next contest.

Utah’s next game will be on the road when they face the New Orleans Pelicans at 4:00.

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Follow Patrick on Twitter @pbyrnesNBA.

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