New Jazz roster can become most talented in franchise history

SALT LAKE CITY (KSL.com) – Less than a month away from adding the No. 2 overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz are on the precipice of fielding the most talented roster in franchise history.

It’s a lofty bar to clear, considering the team’s relative youth and the long history of stars who have come through Utah, but the rapidly developing roster could soon yield fewer weaknesses than any team in the organization’s 52-year history.

New Jazz roster can become franchise’s best

Throughout the Jazz’s storied history, the team has built its rosters with a consistent formula.

Typically, two true stars lead the way, supported by a third high-level role player or borderline All-Star, followed by a talented but relatively thin bench.

In trading Adrian Dantley in the late 1980s, the Jazz leaned on Hall of Famers John Stockton and Karl Malone, anchored their defense with All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year Mark Eaton, and featured a strong supporting cast that included Thurl Bailey, Darrell Griffith, and Rickey Green.

In the mid-1990s, the Jazz again built around Stockton and Malone, surrounding them with Jeff Hornacek, Bryon Russell, Antoine Carr, and Greg Ostertag.

During the 2000s, the team followed the same blueprint.

Olympians Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer led the group, with support from Mehmet Okur, Andrei Kirilenko, Kyle Korver, and Paul Millsap, each of whom earned at least one All-Star appearance during their careers.

Earlier this decade, future Hall of Famers Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert sat atop the roster, while Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic, Joe Ingles, Derrick Favors, and Jordan Clarkson rounded out the rotation.

Each version of the Jazz had enough talent to contend for a championship, but none reached the mountaintop.

The teams of the 1980s lacked experience, as Stockton and Malone were still early in their infancy. The 1990s rosters needed a better center and bigger perimeter defenders.

The 2000s teams struggled with size, especially in the frontcourt, while the Mitchell and Gobert era lacked effective perimeter stoppers.

How will the new roster stack up?

Unlike past Jazz teams, this new group may not feature the same top-end talent.

The current roster does not include an All-NBA player, which could place it behind teams led by Stockton, Malone, Williams, Boozer, and Gobert.

However, beyond the tip of the spear, this roster could become the deepest in franchise history.

Jaren Jackson Jr., who joined the team in February, brings a résumé that includes two All-Star selections, three All-Defensive Team honors, and a Defensive Player of the Year award.

Lauri Markkanen has been the team’s best player since 2022, earning All-Star honors and the league’s Most Improved Player award in his first season in Utah.

Though still early in their careers, both Keyonte George and Walker Kessler have shown flashes of becoming high-level starters. Kessler, at 24, already ranks among the league’s most efficient scorers, rebounders, and shot blockers.

George showed intriguing development in his first two seasons before emerging as a Most Improved Player candidate in year three.

The 22-year-old averaged career highs of 23.6 points and 6.1 assists while shooting 45 percent from the field, 37 percent from 3-point range, and nearly 90 percent from the free-throw line.

That’s before accounting for the Jazz’s two most highly touted young assets.

Ace Bailey, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, brings a combination of size and skill rarely seen in a Jazz uniform.

As a rookie, the 19-year-old averaged 13.8 points and 4.2 rebounds, while earning praise from the organization for his coachability and locker room presence.

Though still early in his development, Bailey’s ceiling could make him the top player on the roster if he reaches his potential.

The label of most talented roster in Jazz history may ultimately hinge on the outcome of the team’s No. 2 overall pick in June’s NBA Draft.

Whether it’s AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, or Cam Boozer, the Jazz are positioned to add what could become the most highly touted prospect in franchise history, with hopes of evolving into an elite player.

The Jazz have not selected in the top two since 1980, let alone in one of the most highly regarded draft classes of the century.

Paired with Bailey, that addition could give the Jazz a path to building one of the NBA’s most formidable duos.

Ultimately, potential alone isn’t enough to claim the title of the Jazz’s most talented roster. But, if the organization successfully develops its young core, this group could round into form as the best team in franchise history.