The Utah Jazz, who are presently 29-14 and have the third seed in the Western Conference, have been playing like one of the best teams in basketball once again. This has been a recurring occurrence for Utah in recent seasons, as they have consistently been one of the better teams in the regular season.
Utah's problem is that once they get out of the regular season, they often suffer in the playoffs. There are a lot of doubts regarding this club this season, especially if they want to win an NBA championship. Let's look at the three most pressing questions surrounding the Jazz in 2022.
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2022 Jazz Questions
3. Who is going to be paired next to Donovan Mitchell?
The most important question that the Jazz will have to answer this season is who will play alongside Donovan Mitchell. They do have their own option in Jordan Clarkson, but they could go out and find someone else who they think is better right now while keeping Clarkson off the bench.
It's unclear why Clarkson hasn't been given a starting job yet, but if he keeps performing like this, Utah will have to start him sooner or later. The fact that he hasn't started for this squad yet is concerning, and if they continue to wait, it may end up hurting them in the long run.
The Jazz should have no trouble finding someone to match with Donovan Mitchell. At this year's trade deadline, they will have a plethora of choices to choose from. They need to figure out what kind of player they want to bring back, whether it's a wing or a guard who can score at an elite level. If they do bring back a guard who can score at an elite level, they will have a lot of options before the deadline. An elite-scoring wing isn't always easy to come by in this league, and it'll be even more difficult to get come trade deadline time.
Regardless of who the Jazz believe they need to pair with Mitchell, they must make this the first thing they do at the trade deadline this year.
2. What should happen if this team losses early in the playoffs again?
This is a difficult subject for the Jazz to answer, but it is one that must be addressed. If this team does not win the NBA title this season, they may opt to change things up and take a different path. They have the crucial players they require on their roster, including arguably the best point guard and rim protector in the NBA.
If they do not win the title this year, they may decide to move a couple of their players and try to bring in role players who can make an immediate impact. The most important thing for the Jazz is to obtain that second star because every team that has won a championship in the last couple of decades has always had two players capable of taking over a game. Donovan Mitchell is the only player on the Jazz's roster who can truly beat another team in a playoff series right now.
Anything less than a championship for this Utah team will force them to disband and go in a different way.
1. Is Utah a legit title contender?
It would be difficult and unfair to label the Jazz anything other than a title contender right now. This squad is legit, regardless of the results of their prior playoff campaigns. If they can just sneak past a few teams, they will be carrying the world championship trophy.
Many people want to minimize the Jazz's accomplishments as a team, claiming that they aren't as good as they are. The Jazz practically have everything a team could want, but they are missing that second star. If Utah can go out and get that second star, they will be the favorite to win the title.
The Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, and Memphis Grizzlies are among the toughest teams in the Western Conference, making it difficult for this team to win a title this season. The Jazz have a chance to beat all three of these teams, but they will have to play their best basketball to do it.
Due to the Jazz not performing to what they are capable of in the playoffs, it has led to many questions, perhaps the most of any team in the NBA. They have another great chance to win a championship this year, and if it does not get done, it could be the end of this Jazz core we have seen the past few seasons.
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