Jazz Looking To Improve Internally Post Trade Deadline

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The NBA trade deadline came and went with the Utah Jazz not making a single move. Effort was not the issue as the Jazz were trying to make a move, with the most notable name being Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley, Jr.

Nothing came of any deal and now the Jazz go into the second half of the season with the team they have had all year, which has featured plenty of ups and downs.

By not making a move, the Jazz clearly did not get better in its quest to not only make the playoffs but an attempt to secure home-court advantage.

Looking at the brightside, there was no real blockbuster trade that a team made out West to make any team better. However, with no team making a move it could have been the time for the Jazz to get a player to get them closer to the top of the standings.

Last year, the Jazz landed Jae Crowder who has been a key player off the bench which has paid off quite well. One move the Jazz needed was to add another scorer to get them over the top.

So, what is next for the Jazz?

They keep Ricky Rubio, who was in rumored trade deals, and he will remain a key player for the second half playoff push.

On KSL’s Unrivaled, co-host Alex Kirry goes about what it means for the Jazz future by not making a move.

“The Jazz didn’t get better today,” Kirry said after the Jazz stood pat. “This was to me one of those moves that the team didn’t make and then now they go ‘now we are buckling down with this group.’ This team has no other choice but to try to get better.”

By not adding a single player at the deadline this Jazz team is stuck who they have and if they are to get better it is with this group of players they have right now. At the moment they are not a better team.

“Is this a better team now than they were 24 hours ago? Is it a better team now than last year,” Kirry questioned allowed. “Certainly the record is better right now, but are they that team that is able to make a playoff run, are they good enough to make it to the second round of the playoffs, are they good enough to be where you want them which is in that Western Conference Finals and you want them take that next step.

“They don’t feel like a Western Conference Finals team, they certainly don’t look like an NBA Finals team, and they are further from a championship?

“They are further from a championship not because the guys on the team aren’t good, but because they are short a few really, really special guys. That is what you need in this league is super stars and the Jazz currently don’t have one.”

What is next is that the Jazz must work with this group and continue to get better and better, and there is a possibility the season may not be an improvement from last year.

However, one piece of hope is that there are players coming back from injury in the next few weeks and maybe getting Raul Neto and Dante Exum can provide a boost for this team as it makes a playoff push.

Check out the full segment of KSL’s Unrivaled.