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The Utah Jazz will begin their 2023-24 campaign with a matchup against the Sacramento Kings at the Delta Center on Oct. 25.
The Jazz went 3-2 during their 2023 NBA preseason schedule, taking wins over the Los Angeles Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers and New Zealand Breakers. They finished their preseason run with a 116-113 loss to the Kings in the Golden 1 Center. Guards Collin Sexton and Talen Horton-Tucker combined for 50 points and 13 assists during their 56 minutes of play. Center Walker Kessler finished the game with a 14-point, 15-rebound double-double. Guard Kris Dunn added 12 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals off the bench.
The Jazz made a few moves to help strengthen their roster during the offseason. They signed guard Jordan Clarkson to a three-year contract extension in July. They signed center Omer Yurtseven to a two-year contract the same month. Utah added forward Taylor Hendricks, guard Keyonte George and forward Brice Sensabaugh via the 2023 NBA Draft.
What are some bold predictions for the Jazz's 2023-24 campaign?
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Lauri Markkanen will repeat as an NBA All-Star
Markkanen earned the first All-Star selection of his career during a 2022-23 season that saw him average 25.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game in 66 games played. He joined Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan on Team Giannis. The former Bulls and Cavs forward scored 40 points or more on three occasions last season, including a 49-point performance during a 17-point win over the Houston Rockets in January.
“Lauri's done such a good job of continuing to work on different ways he can impact the game offensively,” Jazz head coach Will Hardy said, via Jazz Digital Content Writer Ryan Kostecka. “Obviously he's shown the ability to shoot the ball. … But the physicality he's been able to play with, to drive the ball and as a screener, has given him the opportunity to score in a variety of ways.”
John Collins will have a breakout season
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Collins was traded to the Jazz for forward Rudy Gay and a second-round selection in July. Collins spent six seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, garnering averages of 15.8 points, eight rebounds and one block per game in 364 games played and 313 total starts. The former Wake Forest forward's potential role in Utah was highlighted in an article from KSL Sports.
“In Atlanta, I was a little bit more stationary, sit in the corner, or get right into a pick and roll, it was a little bit of a simpler offense,” Collins said of his former role, via KSL Sports Utah Jazz Insider Ben Anderson. “Here, Coach (Hardy) has a lot of cuts, screens, and a lot of just different actions and ways I can either pass, hit, or come off and score which is new for me. So it's going to take a little bit of adjusting.”
Collins and Markkanen will be important parts of a Jazz squad searching for its first spot in the NBA playoffs since the 2021-22 season. If Collins can embrace his new role on the Jazz and work well with some of Utah's more prominent contributors, he may have a breakout year during the 2023-24 season.
The Jazz will make the NBA Play-In Tournament
Utah finished in 12th place in the Western Conference with a record of 37-45 last season. They placed three games behind the Thunder for the final spot in the Play-In tournament. The Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Pelicans participated in the Western Conference Play-In.
The Jazz will have a few key players under contract for next season, including Collins, Markkanen, Kessler and guard Jordan Clarkson, according to sports salaries and contracts website Spotrac. Guard Josh Christopher, center Micah Potter and guard Johnny Juzang will be on two-way contracts for Utah this season. If the Jazz can tap into the potential of their new and returning faces alike, they may earn a spot in the Play-In tournament and make a hopeful run for a place in the playoffs.
