Future Power Rankings

[countrybama24]

ESPN had us 4th, behind only the Heat, Thunder and Lakers. Also good to hear Stein and Hollingers impression of Lindsey from people around the league.

Players Management Money Market Draft
353 (11th) 145 (8th) 179 (3rd) 32 (23th) 65 (10th)

A year and half ago, the Jazz looked dead in the water. Franchise legend Jerry Sloan retired in the middle of the season and All-Star point guard Deron Williams was abruptly shipped to the Nets at the trade deadline for a handful of prospects.

But after two really solid summers and a better-than-expected season in 2011-12, our optimism for the Jazz has never been higher. How does a No. 8-seed in the Western Conference without any stars warrant such a position?

Despite working in a less-than-desirable market, Jazz executive vice president Kevin O'Connor continues to be proactive in rebuilding this roster in a way that keeps the team winning while adding young pieces for the future.

The Jazz have solid veterans such as Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson, but they also have very intriguing young players being groomed at multiple positions. Derrick Favors, a No. 3 overall pick, looked like a potential stud at the end of last season. Gordon Hayward improved dramatically in his second year. And lottery picks Enes Kanter and Alec Burks showed potential in their rookie season.

This summer, the Jazz took another step forward by acquiring point guard Mo Williams for essentially nothing. We believe Williams is a major upgrade over Devin Harris and should help bring stability to the roster. The addition of Marvin Williams should also help. While Marvin Williams has failed to live up to his pre-draft reputation, the player once selected a spot ahead of Deron Williams is still a solid defender who adds a veteran presence at the 3.

O'Connor has also been the master at acquiring additional lottery picks over the years, and the Jazz are set to grab another one from the Golden State Warriors in 2013. The team is also poised to have some real money to work with next summer when Jefferson, Millsap and Mo Williams come off the books.

The Jazz also put a succession plan for the 63-year-old O'Connor in motion this summer by appointing Dennis Lindsey of the Spurs as their new general manager. Lindsey is highly regarded by just about everyone in the league and should be ready to run things after being mentored by Carroll Dawson, R.C. Buford and now O'Connor.

The Jazz are still a year or two and a piece or two away from being serious contenders, but all signs continue to point in the right direction.

[StocktonShorts]

Thanks for posting!

[BarneyGumble]

Very optimistic and a good read. Its nice to see the Jazz get some credit. In a volatile and nearly impossible league for small markets to be a threat, the Jazz have built a special brand over the last 2 decades and look good going forward also.

What more can you really ask for? Except that Bavetta not throw the Finals in 1998?

[erudite23]

There is a game-within-the-game in professional sports that you don't really see unless you immerse yourself in the league, in the game, and start to see the angles. Most fans are completely oblivious to this level of gamesmanship and where/how it occurs. If you know the NBA, you know that the Jazz' front office and management team is one of the best in the league at playing this game, and has been for quite awhile.

This is the result of that. We have not been lucky enough to get that one big-time player. Deron Williams is the closest we've come, and even he is not a true franchise changer along the lines of a Durant, Duncan, Garnett, LeBron, D12 or even CP. But, we got him with the only top 5 pick we've earned in my time as a Jazz fan....and even that only came as a result of expert maneuvering after we got shafted in the lottery.

Aside from that, we've built years of winners from smaller trades, savvy free agent additions and sleeper picks that went boom. Then, when it seemed apparent that our only big-time asset was about to rip our hearts out, we had the balls to make a move that would allow us to get maximum value in return before dragging things out and killing his value.

Now we've got a stable of promising young players to go with a decent win-now roster and no obligations or liens on future assets.....and a ton of cap space coming available in the summer of 2013.

We will never be a destination city. We will never have end-of-their-career former stars lining up to play 3rd fiddle on an already championship caliber roster. And we may never again have the collection of talent that makes us a pre season favorite to win it all.

But we have guys in place that know how to put us in the best possible position to succeed with the assets we have at hand, and there are only a few other places in the NBA that can say that. And its sad to me that most of our fans don't even realize it.

[SoCalJazzFan]

Although it is nice to see the national media give a nod to the JAzz, there seems to me to be some double talk within the article.

First, the collection/acquisition of players, including Al, Sap and Mo is lauded. But then there is the statement that Utah will be in a great position in 2013 as their contracts will come off the books. Well, is the team better with them or without them?

Also, the draft players and free agents that the Jazz could possibly get are probably not that impressive next year comparatively. So, where is all of that extra money going to go? I'm not sure if the hope is that Favors and Hayward jump to All Star level so that the team can build around them, and then either Sap or Al will be the other corner stone moving forward or that the team overacheives this year before losing key pieces.

[DelaneyRudd]

We will never have end-of-their-career former stars lining up to play 3rd fiddle on an already championship caliber roster.

Do you not remember John Starks or Mark Jackson?

[Jefff]

nice to read some national recognition. Kanter is our top pick....