As it turns out if youve intentionally been losing for half a decade, its not easy to suddenly start winning.

Jaren and Markannen frontcourt pairing was such an odd choice. Both are at their best at the 4. I imagine the idea was Kessler at C and Markannen at SF but then Lakers decided to “overpay” (in the Jazz’s mind). The team just feels like a collection of good pieces that have zero synergy together.

Jaren’s injured and he’s basically the only main rotation guy on that squad that’s had any experience playing winning basketball

Kings should try and flip Sabonis for Lauri

Jazz need rebounding and could use a passing big. They were doing some stuff with Nurkic and Sabonis is better at that. When JJJ comes back, he can cover Sabonis defensive shortcomings and Sabonis rebounding would cover JJJ’s weakness

Lauri adds more shooting to the Kings and is way more off-ball of a scorer and player which fits better. He’s one of the most unique offensive weapons in the league at his height and shot diet

They were really good against us last season, something has gone wrong

The narrative that they were a sleeping juggernaut died with trading Kessler for picks but was always hopes and dreams. Jazz sub thought they’d be a top 4-6 seed lol

Utah’s bench: Josh Okogie (not playing well), Brice Sensabaugh (taller Cam Thomas), Isaiah Collier (idiot, rookie option declined lmao), Jaxson Hayes (lol, also starting with JJJ out), Mo Bamba (dios mio), Svi Michelobultra (our literal victory cigar in 2024). Nurkic is injured and apparently Kyle Filipowski died or something.

Meanwhile their top 3 in minutes per game are George (23 years old), Darryn Peterson (rookie), and Ace Bailey (sophomore/potential man).

Idk you tell me.

Yeah, I had them at at least 2-6

I think they’re kind of in that Grey area of running 2 timelines. I think they should be going younger, building around Geroge, Peterson, + Bailey.

I’m a big fan of JJJ and Lauri, but I think they are better on more established teams, not the guys doing the establishing so to speak.

They’re just waiting for December to send Nurkic and get Sabonis.

And they’ll instantly look better: rebounding passing both get solved. JJJ slots in at 4 and can space and block. Lauri at the 3.

And 2 sieves in the back

On the one hand, I definitely thought they’d be better than 1-7. On the other hand, though, they have dealt with some significant injuries and they’ve had a pretty tough schedule to start the season, I think. Every team they’ve faced other than maybe the Pelicans (even the Pelicans are currently on a 4-game win streak and their 4-game losing streak to start the season was very competitive), has had a great start to the season and it doesn’t really get any easier for the rest of this month.

They’ve had two bad OT losses so they’re probably better than 1-7 suggests. They need JJJ bad and they need DP to be better, he was supposed to be an instant contributor and he looks pretty mid compared to the other top pick rookies

Many of their losses have been quite close. They have two overtime losses (to the Pelicans and Spurs), lost by a single point to the Pelicans (again), and lost by five to the red-hot Grizzlies. If those all go the other way (which they very well could have), the Jazz would be sitting at 5-3, and the story would be ‘man, look at how well the Jazz are doing to start the season’.

The truth likely lies somewhere in the middle. They aren’t as bad as the record makes them seem. I bet they will move up to the ‘play-in hopeful’ category as the season progresses. Somewhere in the 30-35 win range.

A couple of Jazz writers have said this lately, but I think that sentiment was confined to the Jazz. Their starting five tonight was Lauri, Hayes, George, Peterson, and Bailey. Of those five, only Hayes and Bailey play any real defense. Hayes is otherwise kind of terrible and Bailey is so young. George and Lauri only play one end of the court, and JJJ is out again.

With JJJ out, there’s no one to cover up that their wings can’t stop teams from doing whatever they want. There’s not a lot of talent on the bench, either.

Right now they are running without Jaren, and have Jaxon Hayes and Mo Bamba being ran at the center.

Also no Nurkic really hurts them, imo.

Even in the times when they were good in the last couple of years, their defense was terrible. Trading away Kessler and losing Nurkic to injury has not helped. They are gonna be better, but this team just does not make as much sense anymore as it did before the trade.

Markannen needs to step up for the Jazz to make playoffs but he just ain’t him

Definitely agree with you here. Proven winner Lauri  Markkanen was supposed to lead them to the playoffs.

They’re young, new, injured, and have a wonky fit. So naw they’re probably supposed to be 1-7

Oh they actually weren’t tanking, they’re just ass

They had a hot start vs the Lakers but they got murdered in the second half

It’s ridiculous how so many people were saying they were just going to switch to winning mode and suddenly become better lmao.

Simmons mentioned how door B was having a Kessler and Boozer pairing and yaaaa as of 11/5/26 that is officially a very big ouchie for Jazz fans. But lotta time to see how it shakes out. JJJ isn’t good which doesn’t help

As much as everyone hates coaches in this sub and social media, how has no one turned on Will Hardy?

No expectations is nice.

Injuries and starting a rookie and 2nd year player

Shouldnt have traded for JJJ, should have kept Kessler, drafted Boozer and traded Lauri a while ago.

Or if they were insistent on drafting Peterson then keep Kessler and Lauri but don’t trade for JJJ.

Also no they didn’t have to trade Kessler he was a RFA and they could have paid him, Kessler wasn’t turning down 100+ mill and play on small 1 year deal to walk next year, too much risk of getting injured and losing out on the bag.

Nah Kessler trade and getting jjj instead went backwards