Three Utah Jazz Goals for the Rest of the Season

The Utah Jazz sit well outside of the playoff race in the Western Conference, but that doesn't mean the final 17 games of the 2025-26 season will be a waste.

These are valuable minutes for development, discovery, and preparation for what will hopefully be a team squarely in the playoff mix a year from now. Let's talk about some of these goals.

Health

Feb 23, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) warms up before playing against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

This is a boring, but highly important goal for the Jazz.

Walker Kessler is out for the season due to a labral repair surgery. Jaren Jackson Jr., the team's newest acquisition, is likely done for the year as well following a surgery to remove a growth in his knee. Fortunately, both should be healthy for training camp this fall.

The Jazz need to ensure that Keyonte George and Lauri Markkanen make it to the offseason healthy, as both guys are vital to the foundation of this team. Additionally, Ace Bailey has a pivotal offseason ahead as the teenager looks to build off of his rookie season and become a big-time contributor going forward.

Making it to the offseason with all of their key pieces healthy should be an emphasis for the Jazz.

Role Identification

Mar 4, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier (8) reacts against the Philadelphia 76ers in the fourth quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

The Jazz are in a unique spot as a team that is currently rebuilding, but will be pivoting towards playing more competitive basketball next year.

This means there are a lot of developmental minutes available right now for players trying to find their footing in the NBA that won't be there next year. There is now pressure on the Jazz to identify which young players they think can contribute to winning basketball, and which young guys they will try to upgrade from.

Brice Sensabaugh, Kyle Filipowski, and Isaiah Collier stand at the top of this group, as each is talented and brings a unique skillset; however, how they fit onto a winning team is less clear. Which of these guys will show the front office enough to keep them in their plans is to be decided, but making that evaluation is important.

Additionally, the Jazz have a group of veterans and two-way players that will be free agents this summer. Is there anyone from that group that the team wants to keep around? Better yet, can any of these guys carve out a role within Will Hardy's rotation?

Retain Their Pick

Mar 4, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Utah Jazz guard Ace Bailey (19) controls the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers in the fourth quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Much of the NBA season is behind us, and the Jazz have seen a lot of positive things this year: Keyonte George's ascent as one of the most promising young guards in the league, Lauri Markkanen returning to All-Star form, the two-way flashes from Ace Bailey, and, of course, the acquisition of All-Star and Former DPOY Jaren Jackson Jr.

The final thing they need to do to ensure this season as a massive success is to hold onto their first-round pick at the top of a stacked 2026 draft class. If they do so, they will no longer have this debt hanging over their head, and they can just move forward with all their assets in tow.

Add in the rare ability to add a star-level prospect to a team with plenty of other enticing pieces, and you can see why this has been so important for the team.

Overall, this is an exciting time to be a Jazz fan, and when you add another top pick to this roster, the future gets even brighter.