Latest West Standings Predictions for 2024-25 Give Jazz Rough Outlook

This season could get bumpy for the Utah Jazz.

Oct 15, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) drives against Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) during the second quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Heading into the quickly approaching 2024-25 NBA season, the Western Conference expects to be as competitive as we've seen in recent years. Teams are back healthy, loaded with star talent, and effectively makes things a bit tougher for the Utah Jazz across the coming months.

It's no secret that the Jazz are expected to be among one of the league's lower-tiered teams this season, with many outlets throwing out lowly projections to effectively pin Utah atop next offseason's lottery, and that sentiment didn't change in The Athletic's latest predictions for the seeding within the Western Conference for this NBA season.

When projecting how this year's outcome will fare for the bottom of the Western Conference, The Athletic, and John Hollinger placed the Jazz towards the very end of the line at 14th overall, just ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Hollinger and The Athletic predicted the Jazz to ultimately end with a 26-56 record for the season, also giving mention their top-ten protected first-round pick that could come into play, which currently lies in the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

"The Jazz have essentially played two straight 50-game seasons," Hollinger said. "Will they go for a three-peat? With Flagg being the big prize in the upcoming draft and a first-round pick owed to the Oklahoma City Thunder if it doesn’t land in the top 10, it sure seems likely."

"On the one hand, this has been a specular waste of Lauri Markkanen’s prime," Hollinger continued. "On the other, it’s hard to argue with the logic that tanking its way into a second star is Utah’s best path out of mediocrity. The recent extension for Markkanen assures he’ll be in Utah through 2029, and the Jazz will presumably start trying to win for real in 2025-26."

Markkanen's reassurance to Utah and this core for the foreseeable future this offseason gives this team a much-needed safety net for the next few years. The 27-year-old is locked in without the ability to be traded for at least this season, and based on how the Jazz approached trade talks with their franchise centerpiece this summer, his status on that front shouldn't expect to change any time soon.

While Markkanen remains locked in, the Jazz will have plenty of opportunity to let their young players shine, another aspect of this season that Hollinger went on to mention.

"Utah’s bevy of recent draft picks will get plentiful chances to prove themselves," Hollinger said. Between Cody Williams, Keyonte George, Taylor Hendricks, Isaiah Collier, Brice Sensabaugh, and Kyle Filipowski, that’s six first- or second-year players vying for developmental time. Can any of them play? Figuring out the answer to that question is probably the biggest story for Utah this season, especially with three more firsts on the way in June."

This season may not result in a top six seed being the final result in Utah. However, with the right development of this young talent, and a potentially appealing draft pick on the horizon for the 2025 summer, there's reason to hold optimism in what will soon. come from this team.

As for the 2023-24 campaign, the Jazz will get their season kicked off next week, as the Memphis Grizzlies will come to town to face off in Utah's home opener on October 23rd at 7 PM MT.

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