This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Before last week, the Jazz were having a relatively uneventful preseason. Rookies and free agents scrapped for playing time, veterans wished the whole thing could just be over with, and coaches plotted out their best rotations and determined who stays and who goes.
Then, last week happened.
In that short span, the Jazz lost star forward Gordon Hayward for six weeks to a broken finger. They lost Derrick Favors to IT band syndrome, an injury that commonly afflicts runners and marathoners. Favors' injury isn't considered serious by the Jazz, but he hasn't stepped foot onto a court in a meaningful way since the preseason opener against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Add in Rodney Hood (sprained hand) and Alec Burks (still recovering from offseason knee surgery), and the Jazz played Wednesday's game against the Phoenix Suns without four of their top seven players.
Suddenly, the remainder of the preseason looms as pretty important, for no other reason than Utah needs to revisit early assumptions.
"It's been hard, to be honest with you," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "A lot of the things we're trying to do depend on cohesion. So we're trying to balance one, and then we don't want to overreact as well. But this has certainly made the integration process slower, and I would like that to not be the case. But it is what it is."
With two preseason games remaining, there are some positives the Jazz can build on.
Most importantly, Dante Exum seems to be not only completely healthy, but further along in his development than anyone could have imagined.
Physically, Exum's first step and the attributes that made him such a prospect originally are still there following his ACL surgery. But mentally is where his game has grown as well. He's driving the lane with abandon. He has been arguably Utah's best perimeter defender during the preseason, and his offense seems to be progressing.
"It definitely feels good to be back," Exum said. "I've been able to get into the lane and make decisions. I've been aggressive, and I think it's been paying off."
In addition to Exum, Rudy Gobert has looked dominant at times on both ends of the floor. In a loss to Phoenix, the fourth-year center scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds in 19 minutes. A year ago, Gobert already looked a little worn out by this time. This fall he looks spry, athletic and engaged. He has played well in each of Utah's four preseason outings.
Still, that Snyder hasn't been able to put his full rotation out on the floor has been a significant issue. Hayward isn't scheduled to be back until around Thanksgiving, and while the feeling is Burks is improving and closing in on a return, there is no timetable.
Under normal circumstance, carving a consistent rotation out for a deep roster figured to be a challenge for Snyder. The injuries, meshing the new guys with the incumbents, mixing and matching different combinations — now, the challenge has become even more difficult.
"There are times that we look great as a team," Jazz forward Joe Johnson said. "We're playing well defensively, we're moving the ball offensively, and it's fun to be a part of. There are other times that we look like we have stuff to learn. So we have to continue to build and continue to make progress in the right direction. That's what the preseason is for."
With a week left of games that don't count, it seems incumbent on the Jazz to develop a rhythm. The regular season schedule is unforgiving — eight of the Jazz's first 11 games are away from Vivint Smart Home Arena. And those 11 games are filled with opponents like the Trail Blazers, Clippers, Spurs, Mavericks and Hornets. All made the playoffs last season.
To survive short term, especially without Hayward, the Jazz will need to be in tune with each other. They will also need to be as healthy as possible, which makes Snyder's job even tougher. Does he take this next week to play his regulars more minutes in hopes of manufacturing continuity? Even at the risk of more injury?
The answer will be a balancing act.
twitter: @tribjazz —
Preseason update
The positives • Dante Exum is progressing at an accelerated pace. Rudy Gobert has looked very good at times, and Trey Lyles has clearly made strides in his game.
The negatives • The Jazz have routinely missed as many as four rotation players during the preseason at one time. Joe Johnson's been slow out of the gate, but looked better on Wednesday night against the Suns.
Did you know? • The Utah Jazz haven't had a full and healthy roster (everyone available) since December of 2014, almost two years ago.
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