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SALT LAKE CITY — NBA seasons are a grind, especially when a team isn’t going to the playoffs.
Whether it’s the coaches, the players, the media and even the fans, staying engaged when a team isn’t in playoff contention can be a struggle for all involved, no matter how dedicated they are to their craft.
For the Utah Jazz, that was never the case. As the season continued, even as the hopes for the Jazz to somehow contend for the playoffs grew slimmer, the level of engagement on the team and with the team continued to grow with the rising outdoor temperatures.
Players became more focused; media found more intriguing, uplifting storylines; fans turned out for games in rising numbers. The Jazz were better since day one of the season, and never stopped getting better. There were bumpy patches, yes; there were figurative sticks in the mud (good luck, Enes); and there were changing roles. However, there is a feeling around the community this team is building something for a much-brighter future.
#UJ1
But what exactly are the Jazz building? Is it an improved offensive attack? Maybe individual player development? What will the Jazz build for the long-term, and will they be active in trades and signings?
All of these are questions that need to be answered, but whereas last year the team was looking to break away from basketball, no member of the team is looking at taking off this offseason. Instead, Utah is in full-on improvement mode.
Thursday wasn’t the end, but merely the beginning of a new season as the Utah Jazz participated in the team’s annual locker-room cleanout at Zions Bank Basketball Center.
Of all the questions that exist for the Jazz, one of the biggest surrounds who will be around to clean out lockers next season.
Utah is expected to have a significant amount of cap space this season, allowing the Jazz to be able to chase some free agents. However, general manager Dennis Lindsey said the team will be cautious in making the right moves.
“We’re actively discussing (free agency),” he said. “The coaches have been so busy developing players, we really haven’t got as deep as I wanted to get. We’ll put every scenario up on the board.
“Beyond timelines, we’ve got to get back to what’s fundamental for the Utah Jazz. If it’s spending all of our money we’ve saved over the last few seasons for one guy, then so be it. But it has to be the right player, with the right mindset that fits the group.
“We don’t take lightly the character of the group we have now. The chemistry is really unique; it’s collegiate in many ways, and it’s pure. We hold that in high trust.”
One of the oldest addages in sports is the most important players to develop are the ones already on the roster. With Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert expected to be the team’s core, along with Dante Exum and Rodney Hood, the future’s starting-five is already set, giving Utah a large amount of upside to develop players.
Lindsey said development will be a strong topic this offseason.
“The best mark of improvement is really internal improvement,” he said. “That’s why we hired Quin; he and his staff are very special with player development. I think all of us have seen that.”
Snyder finished his first season as an NBA head coach with a record of 38-44, but the growth of the team left him feeling encouraged and excited for the future — a message he said would motivate the organization.
“The thing that’s most encouraging to me is the perseverance our team found throughout that process,” he said. “Their ability to stay committed to a process that was not giving them the feedback you want; I think the success of the group is going to continue to evolve. Obviously, our expectations are high, but there’s a realism.”
Hayward finished the season averaging 19.3 points per game. He had marquee moments, like a game-winning shot against Cleveland, and appeared to have a firmer grasp on his role with the franchise.
He said he was more comfortable with his role
“Not as much was up in the air,” he said. “I’m still going to have the same mindset; there’s a lot of things I can improve on, so I’m looking forward to the offseason and looking forward to putting in the work.
“Another thing that’s different is we finished this offseason really strong, and I think all of us have a bunch of confidence going into the offseason. I think that gives you a little boost in your work ethic.”
Hayward isn’t unique in how excited he is for the future. Several other Jazz players said they planned on beginning work towards next season soon.
Derrick Favors said his goal next season is to improve offensively.
“I’ll still work on my post game,” he said. “My face-up jumper I worked on because guys were giving it to me because they didn’t want me to drive past them, so they would just give me the jumper. Now that I’ve showed I can make that jumper, now I’ve got to find a counter to that.
“Guys are playing me different ways; teams are playing me different ways now. Teams are starting to double-team me in the paint, so I don’t have anywhere to go. Now, I’ve got to figure out different ways to score the ball in the post.”
Favors and center Rudy Gobert are one of the prime topics going into the offseason as people question what the ceiling for the pair is. Favors is an important dual-threat for the Jazz, while Gobert was primarily just a defensive weapon.
As this past season continued, Gobert improved as a free-throw shooter. Now, he wants to become a bigger offensive threat.
“(I want to improve) my body, especially my lower body getting stronger because next season I’m going to play a lot of minutes,” he said. “I want to keep working my offensive game — my jump shot and my post moves.”
#UJ3
Overall, as Utah moves forward, the largest question to be answered is what the expectations of next year’s team should be. Is contending for the playoffs enough for the Jazz, or does this team need to secure a playoff berth to be considered successful?
Hayward said he expects the team to contend.
“I think I expect us to play the way we’ve played the end of this year,” he said. “I think if we just focus on our absolutes; focus on doing our job each and every night, the results will take care of themselves. I don’t think it’s good for us to put huge expectations; I think the expectation is to do our job every night.
“I think (a playoff berth) is definitely the goal. You come into the season with that as a goal.”
Jazz management was careful to temper expectations going forward, but there was the sense from everyone involved that the team is preparing for contention — music to Jazz fans’ ears.
It’s said championships are won in the offseason. If that’s true, the Jazz are entering a critical time of the year.
