After trading away their two superstars in the offseason, the general expectation for the Utah Jazz entering the new campaign was that they were going to be one of the worst teams in the league. Well, this just hasn't been the case for them amid Utah's surprisingly strong start to 2022-23.
The Dallas Mavericks are slated to take on the Jazz on Wednesday, and for his part, Mavs head coach Jason Kidd isn't buying in on the notion that the Jazz are tanking. As a matter of fact, Kidd believes that Utah is actually a pretty formidable side (via NBA reporter Tim MacMahon of ESPN):
“The talk of tanking or playing for Victor is all camouflage. They’ve got a group over there who can play.”
A handful of teams have already gone on full tank mode, albeit subversively, in order to improve their chances of winning the lottery for the 2023 NBA Draft. The prize at stake is French teenage phenom Victor Wembanyama, who many consider to be a franchise-altering type of talent.
The Jazz were expected to be one of the frontrunners in the Wembanyama race, but thanks to their 6-2 start to the season, it seems like they're going to be pivoting their approach to the campaign. Jason Kidd believes this to be the case, and he knows what this underdog Jazz side bring to the table. Utah is playing like they have nothing to lose and this is what makes them a very dangerous opponent.
Follow Us
Subscribe