NBA Power Rankings: Overwhelming Boston Celtics look to repeat as training camps open

23. Utah Jazz

Heading into the NBA offseason, the Utah Jazz had two potential paths they could've taken. On one hand, they could've pivoted hard toward a rebuilding of their roster. On the other, they could've made a bold move for a supporting star to play next to Lauri Markkanen. At least thus far, the Jazz elected to wait on making that decision. Utah attempted to make a bold move but ultimately fell short. And instead of kick-starting a rebuild, the Jazz decided to give Markkanen a long-term extension in hopes they could find a supporting star in the future.

Will this plan end up being a good move in the long run for Utah? That remains to be seen. However, it is pretty clear that Utah doesn't have any immediate interest in rebuilding the traditional way. Rebuilding on the fly appears to be what they have up their sleeve moving forward.

To be quite honest, you can't blame them. If they didn't get quality offers for Markkanen, why should the Jazz trade him? Instead, it probably makes the most sense to keep him on the roster in the event they could acquire a star down the line. At worst, they could still trade Markkanen next summer.