Jazz Mailbag: How Can This Season End Successfully?
Dec 2, 2025, 3:36 PM
Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy talks with guard Keyonte George (Credit: Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News)
(Credit: Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY – Welcome to the Utah Jazz Mailbag! This week, we’re exploring how the team can finish the 2025-26 season successfully.
Each week, we will send out a prompt on X and BlueSky asking for the questions you have about the Jazz.
Then, we’ll respond to as many as we can in that week’s Jazz mailbag in the Jazz Notes podcast.
Jazz Mailbag: How Can 2025-26 Season End In A Success?
Will the Jazz consider this season a success if they keep their pick? Will they be happy with pick 8? Or do they really want to try to position themselves to get a top pick, like what they did last year.
— tucker brady (@tucker_brady) December 1, 2025
Question: Will the Jazz consider this season a success if they keep their pick? Will they be happy with pick 8? Or do they really want to try to position themselves to get a top pick, like what they did last year?
Answer: Before addressing that question directly, there’s a strong argument that through 20 games, this season already qualifies as a success. Unless three key players dramatically regress, the Jazz should feel good about the 2025-26 campaign.
When I spoke with Jazz decision-makers this summer, one of their top priorities was clear: identify which players from the young core (age 23 and under) could emerge as true franchise cornerstones.
Jazz Mailbag: What Do Fans Have To Be Thankful For?
Through 20 games, Keyonte George has not just met that criteria, he’s surpassed it.
The third-year guard is now one of the Jazz’s two best players every time he steps on the floor, and offers enormous production regardless of who the team is playing.
The Jazz desperately needed one of their second or third-year players to pop, and George has exceeded expectations.
Lauri Markkanen & Keyonte George for the Jazz tonight:
🎶 Markkanen: 29 PTS, 8 REB
🎶 George: 28 PTS, 4 REB, 8 ASTUtah defeats Houston at home. pic.twitter.com/hG3Q2z2wEY
— NBA (@NBA) December 2, 2025
Next, Lauri Markkanen has proven that his All-Star season in 2022-23 wasn’t an anomaly, and given ample support around him, can be an offensive force in this league.
The Jazz made a big bet on the forward last summer with his $200 million contract extension, and this year he’s proving he was worth the investment.
Third, and perhaps most importantly, Ace Bailey looks like the real deal.
After failing to get positive first-year returns from previous lottery picks Taylor Hendricks and Cody Williams, the Jazz needed Bailey to hit, and so far, he’s been a grand slam.
Bailey’s known strengths as a shooter and scorer have been obvious since his first preseason appearance, but his rapid development as a playmaker and defender has come as a major surprise.
big fans of this rookie/vet duo 🥰#TakeNote | @bosnianbeast27 pic.twitter.com/PdeRZqLpcX
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) December 2, 2025
Considering his age, talent, physical tools, and his upward trajectory, Bailey has the potential to be the face of the franchise going forward.
With those three developments alone, I think it’s fair to say that the Jazz are in a much better place today than they were when they opened training camp, and as a result, the season is well on its way to being a success.
Do Jazz Still Need Their Draft Pick?
Even with George, Markkanen, and Bailey emerging, the Jazz should still prioritize adding a top-eight pick next summer. The roster’s core is taking shape, but another high-upside player from a deep draft class would strengthen the rebuild and provide a cost-controlled asset.
In a perfect world, the Jazz would land a top-four lottery spot and draft a player like Cam Boozer, Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, or Caleb Wilson. Realistically, any top-eight prospect could make a major impact.
Cam Boozer had another dominant exhibition performance for Duke in the win vs Tennessee today
24 Points
23 Rebounds
6 Assists
2 blocksDisplayed his dominance yet again for a true freshman, felt like he was going to grab every board, has unbelievable feel, makes everyone… pic.twitter.com/Bvt8DLxJrS
— Arman Jovic (@PDTScouting) October 27, 2025
Now, back to the original question: the Jazz shouldn’t feel pressured to bottom out like last season, when they guaranteed themselves a top-five pick by finishing with the league’s worst record. That level of losing can damage an organization, and if the draft doesn’t deliver another Ace Bailey, the tanking leaves lasting scars.
Instead, the most realistic successful outcome would be for George, Markkanen, and Bailey to maintain their current growth, and for the Jazz to finish with the sixth- or seventh-worst record in the NBA. That would give them an 85.8 percent chance to keep their pick and a 31.9 percent chance to draft in the top four.
At their current pace, the Jazz will need to tweak their approach in the second half of the schedule to improve lottery odds—but that shouldn’t be a difficult strategy to guarantee a successful season.
Want to ask questions in next week’s Jazz mailbag? Follow us at @benshoops.
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Ben Anderson is the author of the Jazz Mailbag, a Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports, the author of the Jazz Mailbag, and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.
