Entering the second half of the season, the Utah Jazz have the third-worst record in the Western Conference at 18-38. With their woeful standing, the Jazz should be eager to get back on track and show signs of improvement.
Or are they?
With their odds of winning the title as slim as a pencil on a diet restriction, many believe that the Jazz are more than willing to tank and get a better shot at landing the No. 1 overall pick in next year's draft.
For sports commentator Colin Cowherd, it seems people in Salt Lake are totally fine with, um, sucking this season.
“I think the Utah fans, who almost have a collegiate feel because it’s a smaller NBA market, I think they’re in on it. I think they know it. I think they go to the games and enjoy it with their friends, but if you ask them if you can get the number two pick or the number 14 pick, they would take the number two,” said Cowherd on his podcast.
“Utah's been bad for several years. What's another 12 games or 26 games at the end of the year?”
The NBA recently fined the Jazz $500,000 for “compromising the integrity” of the league by benching their healthy players. Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. did not play in the fourth quarter of their games against the Orlando Magic and the Miami Heat last week. Utah lost both games.
Jackson is now out for the season as he set it to have surgery on his left knee.
Last year, the Jazz landed the No. 5 overall pick, using it on Ace Bailey. In 2024, they ended up with the No. 10 overall pick, grabbing Cody Williams. They had the No. 9 overall pick in 2023, taking Taylor Hendricks, who is now with the Memphis Grizzlies.
