preseason

Jeremy Rincon

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PHOTOS | Best of the Preseason

Ryan Kostecka

With the Jazz wrapping up the preseason 3-2, here are five things to know ahead of Wednesday’s season-opening game against the Kings.&nbsp;

1.) Rotation Questions AnsweredArguably the biggest question entering the preseason was how Hardy would finalize the rotation. Ideally he would like to settle on a nine-man rotation, but with Utah’s depth and young guys earning minutes, it appeared that Hardy would have to expand that.

"I think 10 players is hard, 11 is almost impossible, unless you're playing people 23 minutes a game," he said.&nbsp;

If the preseason — and Saturday’s open scrimmage — is any indication of what Jazz Nation can expect, it appears that Hardy has settled on a 10-man rotation.&nbsp;

Over two of the final three preseason games, Hardy went with the same starting lineup of Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler, and Collins in the frontcourt and Jordan Clarkson and Talen Horton-Tucker in the backcourt. Kelly Olynyk and Collin Sexton were the first two players off the bench, followed by Kris Dunn, Ochai Agbaji, and rookie Keyonte George.&nbsp;

I would expect Hardy to stick with that continuity for the early parts of the season.

2.) Kessler From DeepIt was back in February of last season when Hardy first began answering questions about the long distance shooting of his then-rookie center, Kessler. In their first game back from the All-Star break, the rookie head coach opened up Utah’s game against Oklahoma City with a Kessler three-pointer. It was only after the shot went in that Hardy feared (jokingly) what he might have created.&nbsp;

"Yes, the first three was designed for Walker,” he said that night while laughing. “Yes, he bullied me into it. … Yes, I'm very happy that it went in, though I may have created a monster.”

Fast forward to the present and the monster that Hardy created appears to be a new option in Utah’s offense. Through the five preseason games, Kessler went 1-for-4 from beyond the arc. While it’s not a large sample size, it’s further proof of Kessler’s burgeoning skillset considering there was no hesitation when taking those shots.&nbsp;

"The fact that he feels confident in it is the biggest plus," Hardy said of Kessler’s shooting from deep. "He's shot the ball well in practice, he's shooting the ball with confidence. … We have talked about him trying to mix in some threes at different times during the game depending on where he is in the court, particularly those corner threes.”

3.) Collins Getting Comfortable&nbsp;After coming to Utah following an offseason trade, Collins was excited at the opportunity to restart his career.&nbsp;

"I'd say the one thing that has surprised me is the lack of ego here," he said. "It's refreshing to have a group of guys that truly emphasize playing team basketball, and that want to do so. … It's nice for me to see. It's exciting for me to be around, and you know, it helps me wake up in the morning motivated to go play."

It was a slow start to the preseason as he was getting acclimated to his new teammates, totaling just eight points in Utah’s first two games. But after returning home and following a week of practice, Collins looked much more comfortable in Utah’s next two games. He averaged 12 points per game in limited minutes, showing off the skillset and explosiveness that has Jazz coaches raving.&nbsp;

"He has my back and tells me it's okay to have some struggles early. … It’s for training camp and preseason for us to get all the kinks out," Collins said. "It's amazing for me mentally to have that. … Just gave me a lot of confidence.”

4.) Utah Will Go SmallAlthough a lot of talk entering the preseason was about the rotation, one of the biggest surprises was Hardy’s willingness to figure out how to get his best guys on the court. It’s why, after talking it over with his staff, they decided to roll out a four-guard lineup for multiple stints.&nbsp;

"We understand, as a staff, there's give and take with every lineup," Hardy said. "Nothing that we've thrown out is us just spinning the wheel to see what happens. … We think through it, and we think there's positives and negatives to every group, and we want to see what they look like.”

The guards were Sexton, Dunn, Agbaji, and George, with Horton-Tucker replacing Sexton sometimes — all playing alongside Kessler. The lineup was used in the first three quarters against Portland and the first half against New Zealand, with success on both ends.

"We think that that group, they've shown us the ability to really pressure the ball defensively. … Then, offensively, create advantages off the dribble," Hardy said. "We're going to have to keep working defensively. … If there's something we can do a little differently to help them be in a better position to rebound as a group."

5.) Joy And CamaraderieWhile this may not be the biggest of deals to some, the joy and camaraderie surrounding this team has been palpable.

With so many people battling to make the rotation, practices have often gone past two hours with physicality and competition often taking center stage. But rather than wearing them downit appears to have brought this team closer.&nbsp;

Collins and Dunn, two of the newest players on the roster, have been at the forefront of bringing everyone together.&nbsp;

At Saturday’s open scrimmage, it appeared that Collins already had a nickname and handshake with every player on the roster. His communication with the veterans was apparent, as was his mentoring with the younger guys. For Dunn, he received shoutouts as the funniest, loudest, and best trash talker on the team — with each player never hesitating when being asked the questions.&nbsp;

The tightness within the group is a credit to Hardy, who after declaring that training camp would be similar to the Hunger Games, has done a phenomenal job of keeping this group close knit.&nbsp;

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Jazz to kickoff preseason action in Edmonton, Alberta against Raptors on Oct. 2

The Utah Jazz have announced the team’s 2022 preseason schedule presented by University of Utah Health which features two home games at Vivint Arena and two games on the road. The Jazz preseason tips off in Edmonton, Alberta against the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 2 at 2 p.m. (MT) as part of the NBA Canada Series.

“We’re excited to be featured in the preseason NBA Canada Series,” said Jazz General Manager Justin Zanik. “It is a unique opportunity for our organization to engage with the league's Canadian fans in Edmonton. Our players and staff are looking forward to it."

The Jazz will continue their preseason road trip at Portland on Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. (MT), finishing up with a two-game homestand against San Antonio on Oct. 11 and Dallas on Oct. 14 with both games set to tip-off at 7 p.m. (MT).&nbsp;

Broadcast and ticket sale information will be announced at a later date.&nbsp;

Below is the complete 2022 Utah Jazz Preseason Schedule:

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Utah Jazz Announce 2022 Preseason Schedule

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