Biggest takeaways from the Jazz's potentially last rebuilding season

SALT LAKE CITY — After years of mediocrity, Utah Jazz fans can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

After dropping the final game of the season against the Los Angeles Lakers, Utah will now turn it's sights to the offseason, with the hope of capping off the rebuild and entering next season with a roster ready to compete.

With a disappointing season coming to an end, let's take a look at the biggest positives from the year.

Keyonte George's All-Star level breakout

The biggest leap taken of any player on Utah's roster was by far Keyonte George. The third-year guard increased his PPG by nearly 7 points, improving from 16.8 points a season ago to 23.6 points this year.

A big reason for the scoring increase was the efficiency George displayed with improved shooting percentages. George improved his overall field goal percentage by just over six percentage points while also becoming a better shooter from 3-point range and the free-throw line.

George had three consecutive 30-point outings in December while he averaged 27.7 points over that month. George scored a career-high 43 points in a 127-122 win over the Timberwolves in late January and would have likely drawn more All-Star consideration had the Jazz won more games.

After George's breakout, the duo of him and Lauri Markkanen gave the Jazz two prolific scorers to build their offense around.

Many didn't expect George to become this good this fast, but the step the former 16th overall pick took in his game may have kickstarted the franchise's return to contention.

Jaren Jackson Jr. trade signals end of rebuild

Just before the NBA trade deadline, the front office made a surprise blockbuster deal to acquire former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. from the Grizzlies.

Seeing that they had a strong scoring duo. Utah needed to bolster their defense and they did so by adding not only a great defender, but someone who's offensive game could pair really well with that of George and Markkanen.

The Jazz sent former first round picks Taylor Hendricks and Walter Clayton Jr. back to Memphis as part of the deal. With other young guards and forwards on the roster and the opportunity to add a former All-Star, it was a no-brainer to make the move.

Jackson played in just three games with Utah before undergoing surgery to remove a growth in his left knee but he made quite the impact in that short time. He averaged 22.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and two steals in those three contests.

Jackson only shared the court with Markkanen and George for less than a game after George exited Jackson's team debut game against the Magic with an ankle injury.

Even though it was brief, Jazz fans should be excited for when all three take the court together again.

Lottery pick development

After cementing your top three players on your roster, the next step is finding out who else can mesh and play alongside your core.

With all the injuries that bombarded Utah this season, rookie Ace Bailey and second-year forward Cody Williams received plenty of minutes while also showcasing their growth.

Bailey was selected fifth overall in last summer's NBA Draft after the Jazz fell in the lottery. Even though they missed out on the top prize from the draft, Utah may have had the second best player from the class fall into their lap.

Some pre-draft rumors and criticisms of Bailey made teams wary of selecting the talented freshman out of Rutgers. His agent at the time refused to allow Bailey to work out for teams that he did not want to see his client drafted to. That included Jazz.

However, with Bailey still on the board at five, Danny Ainge and the rest of the front office called the bluff and selected the talented wing.

Throughout his rookie season, Bailey has not only put those concerns about his character to rest but he has become beloved in Utah's locker room. Teammates and coaches have spoken highly of him and he has shown a willingness to be coachable and take on any role asked of him.

After other starters went down to injury, Bailey stepped into a bigger scoring role where he was finally able to showcase his incredible shot-making ability and versatility. Not only has he improved as a scorer, but he's become one of the team's best defenders.

A five-block against the 76ers showed the potential that Bailey has on the other end of the floor and the ability to be a dynamic two-way player for the organization for years to come.

For Williams, he has always possessed the frame and tools to be a great defender in the NBA. The question many people had was whether or not he could become a capable offensive player after he struggled during his rookie season.

After many outside the building thought it was already time to give up on him, Williams has proven many of his doubters wrong after he recorded the best stretch of his career since he saw his role increase in March.

Williams has averaged 15.5 points since the beginning of March while also being used as a playmaker at times.

Hope for the future

At the start of the 2025-26 season, there were many unknowns. Who was going to step up alongside Markkanen? What young players would be prioritized in the future? How many years until the Jazz competed for the playoffs?

It's been a long road to get to this point, but the future is bright.

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