Although the 2023-24 NBA season ended earlier than the Jazz hoped it would, it just means that the most exciting part of the year has arrived early — the offseason. Armed with multiple first round picks and a deep desire to get better this summer and eventually bring a title to Utah, the Jazz have positioned themselves to make any move they desire.
Before breaking down how big of an offseason this could be, it's time to reflect on the previous season. How good were the rookies? What are the plans for the future? Is Lauri Markkanen on board with what's going on? JP Chunga (Jazz Podcast Host) and myself (Jazz Digital Content Writer) are here to answer your Jazz questions — and much more.
Question: Keyonte was really good for the season, but is there a reason to be concerned about his struggling shooting splits? | Zoe M. — Park City, UT
Chunga: It’s natural for rookies to be inefficient. This is their first time playing against high level competition. What’s most important is how confident Keyonte got using his shot to set up his drive. He had five games where he attempted 10+ threes, all of which occurred in the second half of the season. That can open up his drive once opponents respect it.
Question: How should the fanbase feel about how the season ended? I have no idea what I’m going through trying to figure it out. | Rob P. — Millcreek, UT
Kostecka: I understand the frustration because nobody wants to lose, especially a fanbase as passionate and knowledgeable as Jazz Nation. But there are a lot more positives to take away than negatives. All three rookies showed flashes of being legit NBA players… and then some. Utah has so many picks that any big move that happens in the offseason will have to go through them. The rebuild wasn’t going to be a 1-or-2 year deal, it was always going to take time… but now comes the upswing part.
Question: Last year Walker was incredible… But what the heck happened this season? He looked like a totally different player. | Rochelle D. — Kanab, UT
Chunga: Expectations totally skew the way we think about things. I asked Will Hardy about Walker’s year, and he compared it to going .500. If you win the first two games and lose the last two, you’re still .500 but you feel differently about things. If you said Walker would be at this point when the team traded for him two years ago, you would’ve taken it. Walker dealt with injury this year. He still has so much room to improve on both ends of the floor. I know his inclusion with the Jazz’s summer league squad will go a long way in his development.
Question: How do you think the rookies fared throughout the year? Is the front office happy with their performance/growth? | Steven T. — Reno, NV
Kostecka: To be expected, their respective performances were up and down. Keyonte established himself early during training camp and was a part of the rotation on opening night — eventually emerging as a starter. He had the biggest swings, but that was to be expected as his role expanded. Taylor and Brice really came on post trade deadline and showed legit NBA skills. There’s plenty of work to do for all three, but Will (Hardy) and Danny (Ainge) are pleased with their growth and have a busy summer planned for all three – which included playing in Summer League.
Question: I think the most obvious question to ask is what are Utah’s plans this summer? Are we going to “tank” again next year? Make a big trade for a star? What’s the goal? | Alex B. — Salt Lake City, UT
Chunga: Danny Ainge and Justin Zanik want to go big game hunting. The advantage this team has is the optionality of the offseason with picks and cap space. It really is a choose your own adventure book. The Jazz are in talent acquisition mode. They can be incredibly opportunistic.
Question: From everything I’ve seen, it appears the Jazz see Lauri as a HUGE part of their future plans. Is he okay with the way the season ended? Do you think it’s more likely he gets a new contract with us or we trade him? | Nickey B. — Coeur d’ Alene, ID
Kostecka: I don’t think anyone in the organization is okay with how the season ended because they all want to win, and that includes Lauri — but that doesn’t mean that he can’t see the big picture. After speaking to him many times, I can say he’s very comfortable with the Jazz, loves the state, is fully on board with Utah’s plans, and wants to be here. As for what that brings for his future, only time will tell.
Question: What happened at the end of the season? Why did Utah trade away Kelly (Olynyk), Simone (Fontecchio), and Ochai (Agbaji) when the team had a chance at the play-in? If the plan was to tank, why didn’t we do it earlier? | Michael B. — Brigham City, UT
Chunga: The trades offered ways to get more playing time for their rookies. They got to see how Taylor, Keyonte, and Brice react to the rigors of the NBA season. It wasn’t ideal with the number of games missed from other players on the roster. They’re young and suffered growing pains. The trades also gave opportunities to get into the back end of the draft. In the very deep Western Conference, those draft picks are the currency of hope.
Question: How do veterans like John Collins, Jordan Clarkson, Kris Dunn, and Collin Sexton fit into next year and the overall timeline of the Jazz? | Katelyn B. — Whitefish, MT
Kostecka: This is tough because the Jazz are in such a transitive state that anything can happen. I will say the front office was very pleased with how all four played this year. What that means for them moving forward, who knows. The NBA is a business and the ultimate goal is to bring a title to the state, so I’m guessing the front office will do what needs to be done to achieve that goal.
Question: If you have one piece of advice to give Jazz Nation that should give us hope for the future, what would it be? | Ericka W. — Bountiful, UT
Chunga: These guys have done it before. Ainge and Zanik have built successful teams. They will figure it out soon enough. Ryan Smith is incredibly committed to the success of basketball in this state (see Kevin Young). Hardy remains an impressive young coach who thinks of offensive basketball in creative ways. That triad from ownership to front office to coach is aligned on the direction of this program.
Question: Not a Jazz question necessarily (and an Arizona local)… But with the news of an NHL team coming to SLC in October, how does the team/organization feel about it? | Robert G. — Scottsdale, AZ
Kostecka: I can tell you that excitement within the organization and that state wouldn’t register on the Richter scale – it doesn’t go that high. Everyone is beyond stoked about Salt Lake City and the state having a hockey team… and the fan reaction has been unbelievable. I feel for the fans in Arizona, that’s tough — but the team is going to be well received and accepted here.