Grading the Jazz at the Midseason Point

The Utah Jazz sit at 19-21 at the midseason point after starting off red-hot.

When the 2022-23 NBA season began, the Utah Jazz drew far more questions than answers following a tumultuous offseason that saw All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, along with a host of former key players, get dealt away. 

The NBA world, Jazz Nation had no idea of what to expect. Out of nowhere, the Jazz started 9-1 and became the hottest topic in the league. Utah was seemingly moving forward with gusto without the services of Mitchell and Gobert.

But with success comes scrutiny and heightened attention, as the early-hunting Jazz have become the hunted. With half of the season in the books, let's evaluate the current status of the Jazz and legitimate expectations moving forward.

Early Season Success

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The early 9-1 record placed the NBA on notice as the Jazz claimed the top seed. It seemed Utah had the 'Midas Touch. Everything was turning to gold, including the highly scrutinized Mitchell and Gobert trades.

There was also the emergence of Lauri Markkanen, who verified he was willing to take his game to a much higher level than it had been previously. He is currently averaging 23.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game and will likely be voted an All-Star.

Coach Will Hardy was operating on a simplified stay-out-of-the-way approach as his troops demolished opponents.

Cracks in the Facade

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Since their red-hot 9-1 start, the Jazz are 10-20 and currently on a five-game losing streak. Each of the five losses have been by five points or less, and most will agree they should could have been victories.

But Jazz Nation should be aware that there is a basic rule of thumb that says when a team losses by nine or fewer points, it lies squarely on the coach. When a team losses by 13 points or less, it is generally the players lacking effort/execution, and when the loss margin is greater than 14 points, the coach and players equally shoulder the blame.

As the season has progressed, the Jazz have failed to make roster adjustments, while Hardy has made questionable coaching decisions. It brings into question at least one trade that was undesirable from the beginning.

Roster Adjustments

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The Jazz possess a very versatile, young, and talented roster but are not making the proper adjustments to win on a more consistent level. When analyzing your team to put it in the best possible position to succeed, it's important to keep as many players in their natural position as possible. 

Utah's brain trust has failed in this area but can turn the error for the better as the season progresses. The correct starting lineup should be Mike Conley, Malik Beasley, Markkanen, Walker Kessler, and Kelly Olynyk. 

This line-up should be an obvious, easy decision. Conley is your floor general, Kessler mans the paint and provides rim protection, Beasley is your primary catch-and-shoot presence, Markkanen just does himself, and Olynyk can jeep the floor spread which is a must in today's NBA.

The Jazz would now have Clarkson in his natural sixth-man role where he is one of the best in the NBA, and it would keep offensive pressure on any team's backups. As a starter, Clarkson reduces the value of Conley's distribution and dribbles too much for an off-guard. 

Clarkson, along with Jarred Vanderbilt, Collin Sexton, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Udoka Azubuike, would form an interesting 'Bench Mob' that could keep massive pressure on reserves and wear opponents down in the process.

The Jazz would still have additional options with Talen Horton-Tucker, Simone Fontecchio, and Ochai Agbaji, all of whom have shown they can contribute when given the opportunity.

What is crystal-clear about the Jazz is that Rudy Gay and Kelly Olynyk are stunting the growth of this budding basketball team. There should be zero minutes for Gay as he shoots 34% from the field, 22% from the three-point line, and doesn't factor into current or future roster math. 

Olynyk's minutes should be drastically reduced as he registers minus game ratings on a consistent basis, leads the NBA in fouls, and is a limited defender. He can stretch the defense, which is his only saving grace, but at some point Coach Hardy should bench Gay and only play Olynyk when his jumper is connecting.

When a team is 10-20 over its last 30 games, maybe it's time to consider other options. I often wonder what is the role of assistant coaches.

Olynyk Trade Not Panning Out

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The Olynyk trade is not benefiting the Jazz. Now, let's keep in mind that Jazz executive Danny Ainge originally drafted Olynyk in 2013 when he was employed by the Boston Celtics. As we know, people in power sometimes try to prove that they made the correct move and will hold onto botched decisions far too long.

Olynyk made his way to Utah via trade with the Detroit Pistons, mainly for Bojan Bogdanović. The 801 would much rather have 'Boggy' for multiple reasons but when you analyze Olynyk's strength of three-point shooting, Utah really feels slighted. 

And the fact that Olynyk stunts the growth of Horton-Tucker, Fontecchio, and Agbaji easily makes this trade the worse by the Jazz this past offseason. There was no legitimate reason to facilitate this trade. 

Call the Pistons and beg to get 'Boggy' back to the 801 and send Olynyk back to the Motor City.

What Happens Next

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The Jazz should consider the starting line-up mentioned above which places each player in his natural role. Gay and Olynyk have been around this league for quite some time and offer no ceiling to a young team. Distribute these minutes to the more deserving younger players with upside and watch the Jazz improve.

I have studied every team in the NBA and if the Jazz made some roster adjustments, they could make not only earn a playoff berth but make a legitimate run in the postseason. But if Utah keeps going down the same path, the losses will continue to mount.

The Jazz are currently ranked No. 10 in the Western Conference.

Mid-Season Grade: B-

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The Jazz have a talented roster but aren't utilizing obvious choices to appropriate earners, and it's becoming noticeable to people who actually understand the game. Not only do the Jazz have good players, but they are in shape, they desire to play, and they aren't interested in load management. These troops are hungry and embrace battle.

Coach Hardy's inexperience is surfacing, and he must re-evaluate rotations and minute distribution currently offered to his players. I'm a big fan of players performing in their natural role because stability can be obtained at a high level. Right now, the Jazz have too many players operating outside their nature, which is contributing to some of the losses.

On the bright side, it would not take much to regain some of the magic that saw Utah start this season at 9-1. Hopefully, the Jazz can get back to the winning side of things when they play the Houston Rockets on Thursday night.

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