Will Hardy's Message to Utah Jazz's Young Players After the Season

It was a long season for the Utah Jazz and their young players.

Between the multiple losing streaks and a 22-60 record to tie as the worst team in the West, falling to the second-worst record in Jazz franchise history, and what's now the fourth consecutive missed postseason for Utah, the rebuild, while productive, took its toll across the past several months.

But, with the season now wrapped up and the Jazz embarking on a big summer ahead, Will Hardy had an important message to give his guys following Utah's season finale, hinting at just how the team's summer is set to kick off.

Above all, Hardy wants his players to "decompress," but also, look in the mirror to build off of the positive signs they've showcased.

"More than anything, they need to decompress so they can separate what's real and what's not," Hardy said after the Jazz's loss to the Lakers. "All of them have positive things to draw on, and that obviously can add fuel to your fire. And then there's the parts that didn't go as well and you have to be willing to address those so you can face them head on."

Will Hardy on what he wants the young players to take away from this season pic.twitter.com/O1TZFS5tfm
— JP Chunga (@JP_Chunga) April 13, 2026

Utah Jazz Have Huge Summer on the Horizon

Hardy knows as well as anyone what the grind of a dreary season like the Jazz just took on is like, as it's now his own fourth-straight losing season that he's certainly eager to turn around. That's why the first task on the agenda is for everyone, including himself, to decompress.

Ultimately, this season showcased great strides for the Jazz to hit that goal of reaching relevance once again, but before they do, it'll rely on some internal development for those all around the roster, which thus puts some notable responsibility on the young players' shoulders headed into the offseason.

That growth appears to be on the upward trend for the summer ahead based on the flashes seen all season long, but that work to get the Jazz and their roster to where they ultimately want to be isn't an overnight process.

"We have we have on the board, on the wall in our film room, a quote from James Baldwin that says 'Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced," Hardy continued. "And that's part of these guys' process, is they have to really look in the mirror and we have to help them with what to focus on. "

Apr 5, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy talks to Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

"But, there's so many good things for all these guys to draw and going into the summer and hopefully they'll use that as fuel."

Between the growth made by Keyonte George in his third year, Ace Bailey's steady development across his rookie season for what might be a First Team All-Rookie effort, and even those who were slotted in more of a bench role like Isaiah Collier, Brice Sensabaugh, and Cody Williams, all showcased that they're on the right path for the Jazz to win a lot more games next season.

However, while a season with a ton of good signs, the task now leans on those same young players to take that development in stride for this summer, which can then put the pieces together for what might finally be the Jazz's first winning season since 2022.