NBA Rumors: 1 Unlikely move or player every team should be thankful for this season

Utah Jazz

Thankful for: Lauri Markkanen's loyalty to the team

It's been a somewhat surprisingly difficult start to the season for the Utah Jazz. Heading into the start of this season, the belief was that this team would be in a position to compete in the Western Conference a little more than they have so far this season. At 3-12, the Jazz has the worst record in the West and looks like a team that is not going to factor much in the playoff race. At this point, the Jazz has continued to take steps back in their progression as a team over the past two seasons.

For a team that is clearly in the early stages of a rebuild, that's not exactly what you want to see. One thing they should be thankful for, however, is the continued loyalty of Lauri Markkanen. He's been the one constant for the team and by this point, there would've been many star players that would've demanded a trade out of Utah. But not Markkanen. He has been everything the Jazz have needed him to be as the new cornerstone of the franchise. If only the team would start to build around him.

Washington Wizards

Thankful for: The emergence of Bilal Coulibaly

As a team with the worst record in the NBA, it's no surprise that the Washington Wizards have struggled this season. With how little talent the team has, that's not something that should be considered ground-breaking. However, there are a few bright spots for an otherwise forgetful start to the season for the Wizards. The biggest of which revolves around the continued emergence of Bilal Coulibaly to start this season. In his sophomore season, Coulibaly continues to look the part as a piece for the future.

He's successfully taken a step forward in his game so far this season and is beginning to flash potential as a possible key part of this team's build moving forward. While the Wizards are still waiting for Alex Sarr to put things together as the No. 2 overall pick from the 2024 NBA Draft, all stock in this season is not lost in large part because of Coulibaly. Things could get worse before they get better for Washington but they're certainly on the right path.