It was an underachieving season for the Utah Jazz organization. They are one of the best regular season teams in the NBA, but when it comes to the playoffs, they find it hard to advance. They have a chance to rebuild their team this summer.
Utah ended up with the best record in the NBA this season, 52-20. Donovan Mitchell proved once again that he is a great player, but it just was not enough. The Jazz went home earlier than expected for the second year in a row.
Last season, the Jazz blew a commanding lead to the Denver Nuggets in the first round. This season, it happened again, one round later. They were victorious in the first two games, then the Los Angeles Clippers dominated the rest of the series.
Utah has their best players, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, under long-term contracts, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t be moved. Gobert has deficiencies that are glaring, especially on the offensive end. If moving him is a possibility, there could be a trade on the table with the Charlotte Hornets.
The Hornets were a much improved team this season. A lot of their success was attributed to Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball. Charlotte’s backcourt became much stronger after drafting Ball. They are also looking to improve their center position this offseason. Cody Zellar and Bismack Biyombo are good backup players, but you can’t win with them as big contributors to your rotation.
Charlotte has an opportunity to contend for the Eastern Conference playoffs next year. Their success depends on what they do in the draft and free agency. The Hornets will be an organization to look at on the trade market.
Rudy Gobert was named the 2020-21 Defensive Player of the Year. He has been one of the best shot blockers in the NBA for the past several years and a presence in the paint. The Hornets Cody Zeller and Bismack Biyombo are good backup players, but you can’t win with them as big contributors to your rotation. Charlotte needs a center that can play defense and block shots.
