Jazz 2023-24 Season Outlook Revealed per NBA.com

The disrespect for the Utah Jazz continues to roll in.

The Utah Jazz outlook for the 2023-24 season remains bleak across the national media spectrum. According to NBA.com, the Jazz are ranked No. 24 on the preseason power rankings.

Whether it’s the Las Vegas oddsmakers or the national media, NBA pundits aren’t buying that Utah has made many improvements from a team that exceeded expectations in 2022-23. NBA.com pointed out some preseason trends that don’t bode well for the Jazz.

The Jazz took 54% of their shots, the league’s highest rate, in the paint. Lauri Markkanen took 67% of his shots (31/46) in the paint, up from 49% last season.

The Jazz, who ranked fifth in total zone possessions last season, were one of two teams (Portland was the other) that played at least 20 possessions of zone in the preseason, according to Synergy tracking. And when those two teams faced each other, it was the Jazz who played zone on the first possession of the game.

The Jazz were outscored by eight points in 29 minutes with Markkanen, John Collins and Walker Kessler on the floor, even though the Jazz shot 9-for-18 from 3-point range and their opponents shot just 6-for-20 from deep in those minutes.

The Jazz were good (plus-9.5 points per 100 possessions) in 394 minutes with Talen Horton-Tucker and Jordan Clarkson on the floor together last season, but experimented with Collin Sexton in Clarkson’s place in the preseason.

The preseason is a small sample size, but we’ll have to see whether these issues rear their ugly head once the games count. 

There are some chemistry concerns the head coach, Will Hardy, may need to work around to begin the season. The biggest question is, can Utah be efficient in their halfcourt sets with the inexperience at the point guard position?

Taylor Horton-Tucker is projected to be the opening night starter this year. ‘THT’s only experience being a full time floor general was last year after the All-Star break. 

Also, the frontcourt has some unanswered questions as well. The main concern is the spacing with John Collins and Walker Kessler on the floor simultaneously. 

Collins shot 40.1% from long distance in 2019-20, but those numbers have regressed for three straight years. Last season, Collins shot only 29.1% from the three-point line. Collins played with an injured finger that may have contributed to that number, but either way, it’s a stat that will need to improve if the Jazz are going to prove the naysayers wrong for the second straight year. 

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