Three Most Important Dates On Jazz Schedule
Aug 16, 2024, 1:44 PM | Updated: 1:50 pm
Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) dunks the ball with Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (50) trailing as the Utah Jazz and the Denver Nuggets play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024. (Credit: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
(Credit: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz revealed their 2024-25 schedule ahead of what is likely to be a difficult season for the team.
The Jazz are projected to be one of the bottom teams in the Western Conference and wins may be harder to come by than in most years.
With that in mind, here are the three most important dates on the Jazz schedule ahead of the 24-25 season.
Related: Jazz Unveil 2024-25 Season Schedule
Three Dates To Circle In Utah Jazz 24-25 Season
October 24, 2024
The Jazz open the season on October 23 in Utah, and by the next morning, there should be a clearer picture of what the team’s priorities are throughout the season.
Coach Will Hardy has resisted starting any rookies on opening night during his tenure in Utah, while lottery picks Ochai Agbaji and Taylor Hendricks have been out of the rotation entirely.
Will that be the case again, with veteran names like Svi Mykhialiuk and Patty Mills getting minutes over Cody Williams and Isaiah Collier, or will a full youth movement be underway for the Jazz?
The @utahjazz roster is full with 15 guaranteed contracts.
After their latest veteran signings, is there still room for the first and second-year players to see the floor?
We break down the backcourt, the wings, and the frontcourt here!#takenotehttps://t.co/mBdzDG3Wgk
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 14, 2024
Hardy has inserted Walker Kessler and Keyonte George into his early season rotation over the last two years, so he’s not afraid to play rookies, but with six first and second-year players on the roster, he’s got more youth at his disposal than ever before.
If the veterans do open the season earning the lion’s share of the minutes, the Jazz could be following a similar path to the last two years where they maximize wins early, and fall back in the lottery after the trade deadline.
If they instead rely on a combination of Williams, Collier, Kyle Filipowski, Taylor Hendricks, and Brice Sensabaugh to begin the season, wins may have taken a backseat to player development.
December 4, 2024
December 4 would seem like an arbitrary date to judge a basketball team in most seasons.
This year, that might be different.
By December 4, the Jazz will be 21 games into their schedule, nearly a quarter of the way through the season, and will have played a murderer’s row of opponents.
In their first 21 games, 16 will come against teams who finished in the Play-In Tournament or the playoffs last season.
The full @utahjazz 2024-25 season schedule.
15 back-to-backs, three holiday games, and the All-Star weekend beginning on Valentine’s Day. #takenote | @kslsports pic.twitter.com/swcGEWKhZ4
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) August 15, 2024
The other five come against the now-healthy Memphis Grizzlies who will compete for homecourt advantage in the postseason, and four meetings with Victor Wembanyama, Chris Paul, and the new-look San Antonio Spurs.
To make matters worse, the Jazz will then embark on an eight-games-in-eight-cities stretch with only one home game in the mix until after Christmas.
The Jazz were 7-14 in their first 21 games last season, but may struggle to match that record in 2024-25, even if they’re prioritizing wins.
It could result in a long December for the Jazz, and maybe this year won’t be better than the last.
February 6, 2025
The Jazz have been one of the league’s most active teams at the trade deadline each of the last two seasons, and could be once again this February.
After signing Drew Eubanks, Johnny Juzang, Svi Mykhailiuk, and Patty Mills to what are essentially expiring contracts, the Jazz could once again be big movers at the deadline.
The @utahjazz have officially signed Drew Eubanks, Svi Mykhailiuk, and rookie Kyle Filipowski.
After signing Johnny Juzang, the team will have just one guaranteed roster spot available. #TakeNote https://t.co/ZcRFwjX0iO
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 12, 2024
However, without the same quality of role players they had in 2023 and 2024, trades may be harder to come by.
Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton, and John Collins are names likely to be thrown around leading up to the February 6 deadline, but with multiple years left on each of their deals, they may not garner the same interest as Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley, Kelly Olynyk, and Simone Fontecchio in recent years.
The Jazz have the assets to be movers at the deadline, but it may not have the same fireworks this season as it did in years past.
Are you on Threads yet? Let’s connect, give us a follow @kslsports.
Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports 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 or on Instagram @BensHoops.
