Utah Jazz: A Bright Future Is In Sight
It all began in 2011 when one game flipped the entire Utah Jazz organization upside down. The Jazz were playing the Chicago Bulls when Coach Jerry Sloan called the final play of the first half from the sideline to point guard Deron Williams, but Williams refused instruction and called his own play. A heated Williams and Sloan allegedly had it out in the locker-room at half time. The very next day it was announced the Sloan would step down as Head Coach and assistant coach Phil Johnson would join him in resignation. Before Utah fans knew it Williams was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, and first round picks in the 2011 and 2012 drafts.
NBA enthusiasts thought that Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams were as close to the “Stockton to Malone” days that the Jazz could ever come to. Obviously nothing will ever come close to those days but they were similar in ways. Soon enough with a new coach, new players, and even new logo and team colors the Jazz were faced with a daunting task to “rebuild” the organization.
That was four years ago and the Utah Jazz has finally begun to turn heads from NBA fans and analysts all over the nation. At the beginning of this season the team thought of this year as yet another “rebuilding” season, but with the last minute trade of Enes Kanter in mid-February to the Oklahoma City Thunder and the rise of second year player, Rudy Gobert, the rebuilding process has been sped up quite significantly.
Since the NBA All-Star Break the Jazz have managed a 10-2 record, making their season record 29-36, and the guys are currently on a five-game winning streak, since February 27th the Jazz have also held teams below 100 points.
Jazz fans continue to stay hopeful that Utah will eventually make it back to a championship game, but the progress in Utah is reassuring and the future is very bright for the franchise.
Tonight the Jazz play the Charlotte Hornets and hope to hold onto their success and make that five-game winning streak a six-game winning streak.
Could the Jazz be a playoff contender as soon as next season? Gephardt Daily wants to know what you think, leave us a comment below.
