Entering a year where very few in the NBA believed the Utah Jazz would be a playoff team, the Jazz have shocked many as one of the best surprises in the league.
Sitting at 20-21 and in 10th place in the Western Conference standings, Utah is currently in the final spot of the play-in tournament — a place not many expected them to be. But rather than just being pleased to be in that spot, the Jazz have their goals set much higher than the play-in tournament.
After navigating arguably the most difficult first half schedule of any team in the NBA, the Jazz will have plenty of opportunities to make up ground in the crowded West.
"Our fans love this team," head coach Will Hardy said.
Here are 10 predictions for the second half of the season — some bold, and some not so bold.
1.) The Finnisher Plays In February
Ranking: NOT BOLD
— There’s no doubt about it; Lauri Markkanen is one of the breakout players of the game this season. Emerging as Utah’s No. 1 option, he’s averaging 23.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game on 52.9% shooting from the field, 42.3% from three-point territory, and 86.8% from the free throw line. While Utah is the host of the All-Star game — which should help Markkanen’s odds — there’s no doubt he deserves a spot in the February showcase.
2.) Hardy Receives Votes For Coach Of The Year
Ranking: BOLD
— Presently, the Jazz sit at 10th place in the West — a very respectable standing considering all of the off-season changes for the rookie head coach. Yet in a season where the Jazz were expected to compete for the worst record in the league, Hardy has reinvigorated the storied franchise. His ability to make in-game adjustments and his offensive and defensive schemes should lead to many great seasons in the future. But I think Utah finishes the season strong and sneaks into the playoffs — SPOILER ALERT — which would garner some legitimate Coach of the Year consideration for Hardy.
3.) Kessler Makes All-Rookie
Ranking: NOT BOLD
— Received in the massive trade with Minnesota, Walker Kessler has emerged as arguably the best player in that trade. Although he’s not starting — yet — he’s averaging 6.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks on 72.8% shooting from the floor in 18.8 minutes per game. That means his per-36 averages would be 13.1 points, 12.4 rebounds (4.6 offensive), and 3.5 blocks per game. When Kessler is on the court, the Jazz are giving up just 110.7 points per 100 possessions compared to 119.5 points when off the court. While the rookie class has really emerged, Kessler is not just the best center but arguably the best defender of the group — which should culminate in him being named to the NBA All-Rookie team.
4.) Utah Avoids The Play-In Tournament
Ranking: BOLD
— This may be a bit of a reach, but after navigating a brutal first half of the season, the Jazz should reap the benefits in the second half. They’re currently 1.5 games out of the No. 6 spot, with Denver, Memphis, and New Orleans all expected to be in the top six. Dallas, Portland, and the LA Clippers are all one injury away from dropping, Phoenix is currently free falling and it doesn’t look like it’ll get better any time soon. The Kings and Warriors are thriving right now and could be in that top 6 as well. This is why it’s a bold prediction, but I think Utah will end the season with a four-game winning streak and take down the Lakers in the season finale to earn the No. 6 seed.
5.) Markkanen Makes A Legit Run At Most Improved
Ranking: NOT BOLD
— There’s no doubting Markkanen and his improvement this season — going from a good role player to a legit star. But even then, the Most Improved award appears to be Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s to lose. But if the Jazz do make a run at a top-6 seed and Markkanen continues to play like a star, he might be able to do just enough to snatch the award from SGA.
6.) Beasley Finishes Top-3 For Sixth Man Of The Year
Ranking: BOLD
— A lot of this will be determined by how well the Jazz play in the second half of the season. But since I think they’ll be playing really well, sharpshooter Malik Beasley will be one of the primary reasons why. He’s fifth in the NBA in made threes (128) and is a massive piece to Utah’s bench unit that is fifth in the league in scoring. He’s averaging 14.2 points and 3.7 rebounds on 37.4% from deep. The list is deep for Sixth Man of the Year with Russell Westbrook, Jordan Poole, and Malcolm Brogdon leading the way — but expect Beasley to begin to creep up those standings.
7.) Utah Has A Top-10 Pick
Ranking: NOT BOLD
— This isn’t necessarily shocking considering Utah has three picks in the 2023 NBA Draft, but it’s safe to assume that the worst of Houston-Philadelphia-Brooklyn won’t be in the lottery. That leaves Utah’s own pick and the one they get from Minnesota. The Jazz currently have the 18th-best record, while the Timberwolves are 20th. With Karl-Anthony Towns out for an extended period and Rudy Gobert struggling in Minnesota, there’s reason to think the Timberwolves could continue to slump — which should result in a top-10 pick for Utah.
8.) Jazz Win First Round Series
Ranking: BOLD
— This might be the boldest take I have, and that’s fine, but I believe in both Hardy and this Jazz team. They are deep, talented, have a legitimate No. 1 option, and shoot lights out from beyond the arc. Essentially, I don’t think there’s anybody in the playoffs that would be thrilled to see Utah lined against them in the opening round of the postseason. Another bonus is that the Jazz are currently 6-2 against the Nuggets, Pelicans, and Grizzlies — the top three teams in the West — proving that Utah can compete with the best of them.
9.) Utah Active At Trade Deadline
Ranking: NOT BOLD
— Just to be clear, this does not mean that the Jazz will do anything at the trade deadline. But already armed with the most assets in the league and a bunch of talented players on very reasonable contracts, it’s crazy to think Utah won’t be at the center of trade talks. Capable of going in any direction — and CEO Danny Ainge and GM Justin Manik calling the shots — February could be a lot of fun in Salt Lake City.
10.) Zanik Wins Executive Of The Year
Ranking: BOLD
— After the enormous trades that went down for Utah this past summer, many assumed the Jazz wouldn’t be competitive for years and were embarking on a multi-year rebuild with no real destination in sight. What a difference a few months makes. Not only are the Jazz competitive, but the trades they made also get better by the day, and now Utah may be the most intriguing and exciting team in the NBA moving forward. That sort of turnaround for an organization on life support with no future just 7-8 months ago should result in some postseason hardware for Zanik and Jazz.
