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DK Nation will be going through all 30 teams ahead of the season, looking at how the roster shapes up for the 2022-23 campaign. Here we take a look at the Utah Jazz, who have decided to go into a rebuilding phase and are blowing up the previous roster to acquire future assets.
Utah Jazz 2022-23 Outlook
Key additions: Collin Sexton, Ochai Agbaji, Walker Kessler, Malik Beasley, Lauri Markkanen, Talen Horton-Tucker
As you can see, the Jazz are rolling the dice on young players, some of which are recent draft picks. Sexton inked a new long-term deal with Utah, while Markkanen still has three seasons on his current contract. Agbaji and Kessler are both rookies. Beasley holds a team option for next summer, while Horton-Tucker has a player option. There’s a lot of potential here.
Key departures: Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, Bojan Bogdanovic
All the bona fide players are gone, including two perennial All-Stars in Mitchell and Gobert. This group was never able to quite get over the hump, and Mitchell said the loss to the Clippers when Utah was the No. 1 seed might’ve been the true breaking point. The Jazz also dealt Patrick Beverley, who was acquired in the Gobert trade from Minnesota. They’ll also take calls on Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson as the season goes on.
Season expectations
The Jazz have one goal this season; figure out who can be a long-term fit on this roster. Sexton, Agbaji and Kessler should be in Utah’s future plans but everyone else is on the block. There could be a lot fo wheeling and dealing at the trade deadline.
Projected starting lineup
If no moves are made, Conley and Sexton should start in the backcourt with Beasley, Kessler and Markkanen rounding out the starting group.
Fantasy basketball player to watch: Collin Sexton
Sexton was looking like a foundational player for the Cavaliers by the beginning of the 2021-22 season. His three-point efficiency was holding and he was entered the year averaging 20.2 points per game over the previous three seasons. An unfortunate season-ending injury after 11 games hurt his value, and the Cavaliers used him as a trade piece for Mitchell. Sexton will be looking to justify his new contract and prove Cleveland wrong, so he could have a strong season and be a nice late-round fantasy pickup.