Utah Jazz Don't Envision Rebuild Lasting Much Longer

It seems like the Utah Jazz don't see their standing among the league's worst teams in the NBA lasting for much longer behind closed doors when asking insider sources.

During his recent breakdown of the Jazz being likely to not offer Walker Kessler an extension before next season tips off, The Athletic insider Tony Jones added an intriguing note surrounding some of the Jazz's expectations inside the building: they expect to rise above the bottom of the standings as soon as next season.

"The Jazz see themselves trying to end their time near the bottom of the Western Conference standings as soon as next summer," Jones wrote.

As for this season, with tip-off approaching just under a month away, the expectations remain tempered. But, in just one year's time, the vision, at least from the front office upstairs, looks to be sitting in a vastly different position from where they are in 2025.

For those aspired strides to happen for the Jazz, it relies on a few factors breaking their way across the coming months. One or a few young pieces will have to improve internally across the course of this season, likely one, or even multiple other young guys can be added into the equation come next summer, and perhaps a trade or two to acquire more experienced talent could be in play as well.

On paper, the pieces are on the chessboard for the Jazz to make that happen, but it'll require a lot to go right in the process.

And for Utah to crank their competitiveness up another level next year, that also more than likely relies on Lauri Markkanen, an oft-rumored trade candidate, to stay in the fold to be a part of that winning roster–– especially in a challenging Western Conference where star talent is at a surplus.

Feb 22, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) takes a shot over Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) during the first half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Combine Markkanen with a second-year Ace Bailey, another top young prospect, and the rest of the existing budding young core, and the perfect storm could be in play for, at the very least, a Play-In push to be well within the mix of outcomes for the Jazz in 2026-27.

The road ahead for the immediate 82-game slate on the horizon will probably have its ups and downs, and if all holds true, will leave the Jazz with high odds in the draft lottery come next summer as a result. Yet, next offseason might be the time when rubber meets the road to get this Utah rebuild off the ground.

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