The Utah Jazz’s rough opening has put an uncomfortable possibility on the table: the worse things go, the better Memphis could come out of the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade.
A 1-4 start is still a 1-4 start, even if some of Utah’s early trouble has come from what the source described as “magnet balls” and untimely injuries to valuable players like Jaren Jackson Jr. The Jazz were always going to lean heavily on young talent, so a slow climb out of the gate is not shocking. Previous Jazz playoff teams stumbled early, too, before finding their footing in time.
But this season carries a different kind of consequence if the losses keep piling up. Utah owes Memphis a conditional draft asset, and if the Jazz continue to stumble, that pick could become a major swing point.
Under the trade terms, Utah will send Memphis the best asset between its own, Minnesota’s and Cleveland’s this season. The Timberwolves and Cavaliers, as they have since the end of the Donovan Mitchell-Rudy Gobert era, are still in the mix.
It’s entirely possible one or both finish with better records than Utah.
If that happens, and the Jazz stay in the cellar, Memphis could end up with a lottery pick from a team that has started as one of the NBA’s early surprise clubs. That would be a painful outcome for Utah, especially after last season’s tanking efforts included making sure Oklahoma City did not land its pick from the Derrick Favors trade.
There is, however, one wrinkle that softens the worst-case scenario. Because of the NBA’s new lottery rules, if Utah finishes with a bottom record, it cannot move into the top five because it has had two consecutive top-five picks.
So even in the bleakest version of this season, Memphis cannot get the full benefit. It could still get a very valuable return, though.
For now, this is more something to monitor than panic over. Utah did not come into the year planning to tank, and the hope inside the building has to be that things turn quickly.
If the Jazz straighten out, the whole situation may end up looking pretty funny in hindsight. If they don’t, that draft pick becomes the elephant in the room.
In Other News...
Blazers Fans Have Another Robert Williams Concern To Watch
Rookie guard Darryn Peterson gave the Jazz a needed spark in the loss to San Antonio, scoring 18 points in 26 minutes before watching the closing stretch from the sideline. Utah had a chance to lean on the first-rounder down the stretch, but head coach Will Hardy went another direction as the game tightened, turning to reserve wing Brice Sensabaugh for the late possessions instead.
Hardys choice added another layer to a night that already featured plenty of moving parts around the league, from Nikola Jokics 200th regular-season triple-double to Ja Morant leaving early with a left hamstring injury. For Utah, the bigger takeaway was how the final minutes were handled, and whether Petersons strong showing will translate into a larger role the next time the Jazz find themselves in a similar spot. [Read more 🡒]
Jazz Need Lauri Markkanen Now More Than Ever Tonight
The Jazz head into their matchup with Portland at the Delta Center carrying a familiar kind of early-season uncertainty, with the rotation already thinned by injuries and a four-game road trip waiting immediately after. Utah has been managing absences across the frontcourt, and the timing makes this one feel especially important as the team tries to protect home court before hitting the road.
Lauri Markkanens status looms over everything, because Utah needs his scoring and spacing to steady a lineup that could be stretched even further depending on who is available. Portland has its own injury concerns, so the game still has the feel of a winnable one for the Jazz, but the bigger question is whether they can get enough healthy production tonight to avoid heading into the trip already behind the curve. [Read more 🡒]
Darryn Peterson Has A Real Chance As Jazz Wait For More
Darryn Petersons first stretch in the NBA has looked like what the Jazz expected from a rookie guard with real upside: some flashes, some hesitation and a steady climb. Utahs coaching staff has seen gradual improvement and a growing comfort level from Peterson, even as he works through the usual early-career issues of indecision and mistakes. The bigger picture for the Jazz is simple enough. They want him learning on the fly, and they want him to keep attacking rather than shrinking from the moment.
Petersons numbers show a player already contributing in a meaningful way, even if the efficiency still has room to rise. He is getting more chances with injuries thinning the rotation, and that added runway matters for a team trying to sort out what it has in a young guard. A league source echoed the same message the Jazz are sending internally: patience is part of the plan, but so is continued aggression, because the opportunity in front of Peterson is bigger now than it was a few weeks ago. [Read more 🡒]