Five reasons the Utah Jazz could be one of the best League Pass NBA teams in 2027

Given the Jazz have looked competitive in the past when they’re not trying to actively tank for draft positioning, the prospect of the team making a run for competitiveness next season makes them one of the most exciting teams in the NBA.

Let’s dive into five reasons why the Jazz will be League Pass favorites for NBA fans next season.

Jazz might have the best defensive frontcourt in the West

Jackson Jr. and Walker Kessler might form one of the scariest frontcourt combinations in the NBA for opposing teams next season. While the Jazz still need to bring Kessler back on a new contract, the prospect is tantalizing,

Jackson is a former Defensive Player of the Year and has led the NBA in blocks two times, averaging 1.9 blocks over his career. Kessler has averaged 2.4 blocks over his young career and shown he’s among the best defensive centers in the NBA.

With Kessler taking the rebounding load away from Jackson and Jackson’s shooting ability improving Kessler’s playability, the pair will surely make the rim untouchable. In a conference where they have to go through Victor Wembanyama, this is crucial.

The Jazz will unleash Lauri Markkanen for a whole season

Markkanen has been an NBA All-Star over his years with the Jazz, but he’s never had the tools to actually compete. With him going into next season as the likely No. 1 option on offense, it’ll be fascinating to see what Markkanen can do in this role on a competitive squad.

Markkanen averaged 26.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.0 steals in 42 games last season before being shelved for the end of the season with multiple injuries, or a deliberate tanking strategy for which the Jazz were fined $500,000.

He’s been one of the most efficient three-level scorers in the NBA over the last few years despite being the No. 1 option teams have had to stop. With the bolstered talent around him and a winning objective, Markkanen might return to All-Star status and marvel fans as a 7-foot unicorn.

Ace Bailey: Sixth Man of the Year contender?

The way the Draft has played out makes it unlikely for Bailey to be a starter in 2026-27 after spending most of his rookie season as a bench option. Despite his clear utility as a scorer, the Jazz likely won’t be able to fit him in as a starter.

The Jazz won’t bench George after his breakout last season, and Peterson is a highly-touted prospect who should be a day-one starter. This allows Bailey to be the clear Sixth Man, getting to attack second-units as a potential 20-point bench scorer.

He’ll likely be the first name in the starting five if any of the other players get hurt, but we might get the chance to watch Bailey put on a Sixth Man of the Year campaign before becoming a starter in the coming years as a potential replacement for Markkanen or George.

Darryn Peterson will have Jazz fans tuning in weekly

Darryn Peterson was in the running to be the No. 1 pick for a reason. He averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.4 steals on 43.8 percent shooting from the field and 38.2 percent from three in a season plagued by injuries for the Kansas Jayhawks. An injury-free season might have him in Washington right now, but he projects to be a future franchise cornerstone and a rookie starter.

Peterson could start at point with Ace Bailey or Keyontae George next to him, but it’s likelier than Peterson starts at the two with George at point to start the season. Peterson’s obvious scoring ability, coupled with his high-end defensive production, will make him a Rookie of the Year favorite.

If he is the generational talent he’s been tipped as, every game of his rookie season will be must-see, bolstered by the fact that the Jazz should be pushing for the Playoffs.

Will Hardy’s coaching talents will be on full display

Will Hardy single-handedly delayed the Utah Jazz rebuild by leading them to 30+ wins in his first two seasons when the franchise was trying to tank for future assets. He joined the mission for the last two seasons, winning 39 games over both seasons combined. Now, he finally has the winning unit he can try to compete for a postseason spot with.

Hardy’s Jazz have proven they can be competitive in the first half of the season before strategically dropping games at the end of the year. He promotes a style of ball that’s perfect for the modern NBA with ball movement, connected actions, positional read-and-react, and space creation through multiple options on every possession.

Even with Kessler complicating his imaginative offensive philosophy, Hardy has balanced his roster perfectly to create defensive advantages through personnel. Next season, he finally gets a chance to chase a 50-win season from day one, and that hunger should reflect in the players amid a four-year Playoff drought.

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