4 Early Predictions for How Utah Jazz's 2026-27 Season Will Go

The Utah Jazz are counting down the days before they get to tip off a brand new regular season for the 2026-27 campaign; one that expects to be a whole lot better than what the Jazz have been a part of for the past four seasons.

The roster is more talented, more well-rounded, and should be on track to log more than the 22 wins that they saw last season.

But just how could the Jazz's upcoming 2026-27 season ultimately pan out? How will this newly constructed roster perform when everyone's healthy and looking to make noise in the Western Conference, rather than trending towards the top odds in the lottery?

As we wait for the Jazz's regular season to get rolling, let's sort through four early predictions of how Utah's next season could go:

Jazz Become a Top-20 Defense in the NBA

Feb 11, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (20) plans his next move around Sacramento Kings guard/forward DeMar DeRozan (10) during the first half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Peter Creveling-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This might not be the most insane bar for the Jazz to hit. After all, having the 20th-ranked defense would still mean Utah is a below-average defensive unit in the NBA.

But the Jazz have been pretty abysmal on the defensive end for the past three years––not just below average. They've ranked in the bottom two in the NBA for defensive rating through the past three seasons. Any way in which Utah can see a step in the right direction on this side of the ball is a big win.

And the Jazz have a clear route to seeing those defensive improvements. Jaren Jackson will be on the floor for more than three games, veteran perimeter defenders like Josh Okogie and Josh Green have been added, and young pieces like Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, and Darryn Peterson will continue to progress on that end further throughout the course of the season.

A top-20 finish in terms of defensive rating, all things considered, would be a strong result for this Jazz defense, and gives them something to build on heading into the future.

Lauri Markkanen Makes Another All-Star Game

Feb 19, 2023; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Team Giannis forward Lauri Markkanen (23) dunks as Team LeBron center Joel Embiid (21) looks on in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

The last time Lauri Markkanen landed an All-Star bid, he was the NBA's Most Improved Player to end the 2022-23 season. And even though it's pretty unlikely that he'll get that same award again this year, another All-Star nod is well within the range of possibilities.

Let's not forget: Markkanen was having one of the best seasons of his career when he was healthy last year. While he played a limited 42 games, he averaged over 26 points per game on 47.7-35.5-89.6 splits and paired that with around seven boards and two assists a night.

He'll be a primary scoring option once again this season. The Jazz will be winning more games than they did in 2025-26, and depending on how much noise Utah makes, it'll make keeping him out of the All-Star festivities for his second-career appearance pretty tough.

Darryn Peterson Wins Rookie of the Year

Jun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver greets the second pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson after he was selected by the Utah Jazz at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

We could be in for one of the league's most competitive Rookie of the Year races in some time, because there's a clear group of four––that being the top-four picks off the board in this year's draft––with the best chances to come away with the hardware.

But Peterson, even on a team with several scoring threats to account for, might just have a chance to win it. He has more than enough talent to enter the league as a nightly 20-point scorer, impact the game on both ends, and might be slotted into a more competitive team environment early to make his impact even more noticeable.

He'll have to hit the ground running to beat out the likes of AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson. But if he booms early and can find a starting spot before December, watch out.

Jazz Break 4-Year Playoff Drought With Play-In Victory

Mar 2, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy calls out a play during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Peter Creveling-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Jazz have been hungry to rally back to the postseason with a new and improved core ever since they made their trades to ship out Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert in 2022. And four years later, this might just be the group to make that leap come to fruition.

When breaking down the talent on the roster, there's no doubt it's the best collection of players the Jazz have had since hitting the reset button. They've got size, youth, a ton of optimism offensively, and if even somewhat improved defensively, feel like a good bet to be top-eight in the West once the season has come to a close.

A top-six seed might still be a bit too far out of reach, at least this season. A play-in appearance and a win to get in as one of the final two spots feels just right.

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