The Utah Jazz are drawing real optimism around the league, and that alone marks a noticeable shift from where this franchise has lived for much of the last few seasons.
In the NBA’s annual preseason GM survey, Utah finished third in voting for the league’s most improved team heading into the 2026-27 season. The Jazz picked up 13% of the vote, landing behind the Indiana Pacers, who took the top spot with nearly 50%, and the Washington Wizards at 23%.
The Toronto Raptors followed at 7%, while the Charlotte Hornets, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies and Miami Heat also received votes. Last year’s winner in this category was the Orlando Magic at 47%.
That vote lines up with the way Utah’s roster looks now. The Jazz have two All-Star-caliber pieces anchoring the frontcourt, a collection of young players who are still on the rise, and several veterans added this offseason to help round out the group. It’s a much sturdier setup than the one that produced the bleak results fans have gotten used to.
The last four seasons have been about the long game for Utah: building the young core, chasing draft position, and trying to reach the point where the franchise could realistically talk about climbing back into the Western Conference picture. That process has brought the Jazz to a place where a season like last year’s 22-win finish suddenly feels hard to repeat.
There’s also a practical reason the incentive has changed. Utah does not control its first-round pick next offseason, after that selection was sent to the Memphis Grizzlies at last season’s trade deadline in the deal that brought Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah. That leaves the Jazz with a clear push toward trying to reach the postseason for the first time since 2022.
For that to happen, the ingredients have to come together. The young players have to keep growing, Will Hardy’s offense has to take shape the way the Jazz expect, and the defense has to make a meaningful step forward after struggling in recent years.
Still, the bigger picture is obvious: among NBA decision-makers, Utah is being viewed with more hope than it has been since the rebuild began. For the Jazz, that’s progress worth noting all by itself.
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Jazz Rotation Battles Get One Last Chance To Shift Opening Night
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Hayes has been working to carve out a bigger role, Bamba is trying to show he can provide useful depth behind the starters, and Bailey remains under the microscope for the progress he has made defensively. For a team still making final decisions before opening night, this is the kind of game where a strong showing can shift the conversation, even if the full answer does not come until the regular season arrives. [Read more 🡒]