Many tabbed them to finish with the worst record in the league this past season, but the Utah Jazz ended up being one of the biggest surprises in the NBA, coming up just short of reaching the Play-In Tournament in the Western Conference. A team with no clear-cut star entering the year after trading away their two All-Stars, the Jazz very quickly established themselves as a group with one of the highest potentials in the league.
Last summer resulted in Utah trading away three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert and multi-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell. Along with seven first-round picks and a handful of pick swaps, the Jazz were able to acquire key talents such as Lauri Markkanen and rookie Walker Kessler. They also ended up getting Collin Sexton from the Cleveland Cavaliers in a sign-and-trade agreement in the deal involving Mitchell.
Drafted eighth overall in 2018 by the Cavs, Sexton emerged as the young leader of his team following LeBron James' departure from Cleveland. His 24.3 points per game average during the 2020-21 season ranked 18th in the league that year and it appeared as if Sexton was on the path to becoming an All-Star. After he was unable to come to an agreement on a long-term extension with the Cavaliers ahead of the 2021-22 season, Sexton suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee after 11 games, forcing him to undergo season-ending surgery.
With a fresh start in Utah after being included in last offseason's blockbuster trade, Sexton once again proved that he has what it takes to be a focal point for his team offensively. However, he was limited yet again due to injuries, as a lingering hamstring injury resulted in him being able to play in just 48 total games. The 2023-24 season will be a critical one for Sexton, as opportunity will present itself on an emerging Jazz team entering training camp in September.
“I want to show that I’m back and healthy and 100 percent,” Sexton recently told Tony Jones from The Athletic. “Every year for me is important, so I don’t put too much pressure on myself from that standpoint. I’m my biggest critic, so I’m always going to have a lot of expectations for myself.”
Even though he only played in close to half of Utah's games this past season, Sexton still managed to average 14.3 points per game, the third-best average on the team, and his 39.3 three-point shooting percentage was the second-best on the team out of those who took at least 100 threes.
An athletic playmaker who tends to be at his best with the ball in his hands rather than playing off the ball, Sexton will be in the running for his team's starting point guard position entering the 2023-24 season, especially after veteran Mike Conley Jr. was dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves at the trade deadline last season.
“I’ve been watching a lot of film this summer,” Sexton said. “I want to be able to try and take over the point guard role. I want to show them that I can run the show. I’m getting back into the groove of things. I think this season is going to be fun.”
The Jazz as a whole have a lot to look forward to heading into the new year. Sexton is healthy and ready to contribute at a high level, Kessler is coming off of an All-Rookie campaign and is gaining valuable experience with Team USA in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, and Markkanen emerged as one of the best scoring options in the league during his first All-Star season.
Along with the team trading for John Collins this offseason and Jordan Clarkson agreeing to a long-term extension, the Jazz have avoided a full rebuild and they are suddenly a rising threat in the Western Conference. Collins and Walker will be starting in the frontcourt for Utah and both Clarkson and Markkanen will be in the starting unit as well. The point guard position is up in the air though, and Sexton will have some competition to achieve his ultimate goal.
Utah's backcourt depth
Other than Collin Sexton, the Jazz have quite a few options to play around with in their backcourt. Clarkson took on the responsibilities as the team's lead guard most of last season, but he tends to play at his best off the ball at the shooting guard position. As far as who Sexton will be competing with for the starting point guard position, Talen Horton-Tucker, Kris Dunn and rookie Keyonte George are the team's other guards.
While not really known to be a playmaking guard, Horton-Tucker stepped into a big role with the Jazz at the start of March and ended up having some of the best performances of his career. He recorded a career-high 41 points against the San Antonio Spurs on March 29 and over his final 24 games, the 22-year-old averaged 6.2 assists per game. Horton-Tucker's 3.3 turnovers per game average during this same span is slightly alarming, though, especially when looking at things from a starting point guard perspective.
Dunn is set to begin training camp with the Jazz on a non-guaranteed contract that will become fully guaranteed right before opening night on October 23. The former fifth overall pick played in just 22 games with the Jazz this past season, but he made the most of his opportunities when Clarkson and Sexton were both out with injuries, as he averaged 13.2 points and 5.6 assists per game. In Utah's system, Dunn looked very comfortable and seemed to fit the mold of the perfect backup point guard option.
Sexton's biggest competition for the lead point guard spot all season long will be George. Drafted 16th overall in June's draft, George represents the future of this organization and he ended up being one of the standout performers at the NBA Summer League. If it was not for an ankle injury, the rookie may have taken home Summer League MVP honors, as he averaged 21.7 points and 6.3 assists per game in three total games, scoring at least 26 points in each of his first two games before getting hurt in his third game.
Experience and familiarity are the two advantages Sexton owns over George entering the new season as he looks to capture the team's starting point guard role. Overall, this upcoming year presents an opportunity for the Jazz as a whole. They are in a position where they can begin building for the future while competing at the highest level possible right now, which is why they are a sneaky, dangerous team in the West.
“We can be really good because we have a lot of talent,” Sexton stated. “Everyone has to buy in for a common goal this season, and that’s to win. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about. If we win, everything takes care of itself. And if we win, everybody eats. So that’s the way that we all have to look at things going into camp and into the season.”
The Jazz will begin the 2023-24 NBA season in front of their home faithful on October 25 when the Sacramento Kings visit Salt Lake City.
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