The Utah Jazz are getting serious: the plan to become contenders
Between the trade for Jaren Jackson Jr., an ultra-young roster and the Markkanen question, Utah is building today the contender of tomorrow
The Utah Jazz are back on the NBA map. The reason is clear: they capitalized on a major move, the trade for Jaren Jackson Jr., which – given the player’s talent, age (26), and fit within the roster – immediately raises expectations looking ahead.
A future that looks bright for Utah also thanks to an extremely young roster, with an average age around 24, that is starting to show truly intriguing signs. There are playmakers like George, Collier, and Bailey, high-level defenders such as Jackson Jr. and Walker Kessler, and a bench that will inevitably be reshaped, if not by the end of the Trade Deadline, then certainly between the offseason and next season.
The real key issue, however, remains Lauri Markkanen. The Finnish forward has long been on the radar of several contenders around the league, and everything suggests he will be traded in 2026. Not now (follow the Trade Deadline LIVE), but more likely in June, when front offices will have a clearer picture of both their teams’ ambitions and the range of Draft picks they can put on the table, including from a salary-cap perspective.
In that scenario, Utah could land another future star, in addition to a stockpile of Draft picks that could easily surpass ten through 2032. A strategy that closely mirrors what the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs have executed in recent years.
And above all, a philosophy that carries a very specific signature: never forget Danny Ainge, one of the best architects of contenders in the modern NBA.