With the 2019-2020 NBA season fast approaching, Our First Draft is providing team previews for all 30 NBA teams. These are intended to inform the reader about important roster changes for all teams, as well as summarizing the outlook of the team ahead. This includes the Vegas Over/Under line, OFD’s recommendation on which side to take, as well as a projected record for the team.
Team: Utah Jazz
Conference: Western
Wins O/U: 53.5 (Over -110, Under -110)
Last Year’s Record: 50-32
Projected Roster (Projected Starters marked with asterisks): B. Bogdanovic*, T. Bradley, J. Brantley, M. Conley*, E. Davis, D. Exum, R. Gobert*, J. Green, J. Ingles*, D. Mitchell*, E Mudiay, G. Niang, R. O’Neale, M. Oni, J. Wright-Forman
Key Offseason Moves: Traded J. Crowder, G. Allen, K. Korver for M. Conley, Signed B. Bogdanovic, Traded D. Favors, Lost R. Rubio, Signed E. Davis, Signed J. Green, Signed E. Mudiay
Overall Summary: Two years ago, when the Jazz lost Gordon Hayward in free agency, their fans were talking gloom and doom. While they still had defensive stalwart Rudy Gobert, another rebuild looked inevitable in the difficult Western Conference. Instead, Donovan Mitchell fell into their laps, and the next two years have been far different than expected. The Jazz made the playoffs both years, with Mitchell being runner up for rookie of the year and Gobert adding another Defensive Player of the Year award to his mantle. With the addition of Australian point forward Joe Ingles, the Jazz looked set-up to be a top tier Western Conference team for the next 5 years. Then, they made two of the best moves of the offseason – which I think will make them a legitimate title contender. First, they cashed in a lot of assets and traded for Mike Conley, one of the most underrated players in the NBA. He will be a substantial upgrade over Ricky Rubio and will help Mitchell stay off the ball, which will allow him to score and play his usual brand of intense defense. In addition, they signed Bojan Bogdanovic, former Indiana Pacers small forward, who can absolutely light up the scoreboard. He gives the Jazz a scoring option other than Mitchell, something they’ve been missing in the playoffs before this year. With good bench depth like Ed Davis and Jeff Green added, the Jazz will be a good, deep, gritty team this season.
Verdict: This is an incredibly good line from Vegas, in my opinion. I think the Jazz are going to be really good; potentially the best second-half team in the NBA, especially with their home court. Late season games in Utah are brutal, because already tired players are having to adjust to the Salt Lake City altitude. To me, this is not a bet one should take. I technically have the under by half a game, but it would not surprise me at all if the Jazz hit the over. I project a record of 53-29.
