- Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- Home court: Vivant Arena
- G.M: Justin Zanik
- Coach: Will Hardy
- Star: G Collin Sexton
- 2021 Season: 49-33, lost to the Dallas Mavericks in a Western Conference first-round playoff series in six games.
- NBA Titles: None
- Greatest Player: PF Karl Malone
- Factoid: The combination of PF Karl Malone and PG John Stockton is considered one of the greatest duos in NBA history and perhaps the best to never win an NBA Title.
Utah Jazz fans must still be in a state of shock over what in the heck happened since the 2021 NBA season ended.
First, longtime coach Quin Snyder suddenly announced his resignation.
Second, the team traded center Rudy Gobert, arguably the most potent defensive force in the league.
Third, the team traded star guard Donovan Mitchell.
And you think you’ve been surprised by some moves your team has done over the years?!
It’s certainly not as if the Jazz were fading. They won the Northwest Division last season, winning 49 games. Yes, there was tension between Gobert and Mitchell, but many teams have had teammates that didn’t go out for dinner every night.
Obviously, Jazz management felt the roster had reached the boiling point. Now the team has three, first round draft picks in 2023 and two more in 2025.
Here’s why Jazz fans should feel cautiously optimistic. Danny Ainge is the team’s CEO of basketball operations. As the executive director of the Celtics in 2003, he helped assemble the roster (Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce) that resulted in an NBA Championship.
It may be sooner rather than later that Utah fans are feeling Jazzy again.