The Utah Jazz finished last season with a 22-60 record, tied with the Sacramento Kings at the bottom of the West -- and ahead of only three East teams for the league's worst record -- but began their offseason with the No. 2 pick in the draft. It is tied for the highest they have ever drafted, and they used the pick to select Kansas guard Darryn Peterson.
It didn't take long for the Jazz to make another offseason splash, sending center Walker Kessler to the Los Angeles Lakers in a sign-and-trade that netted the Jazz two unprotected first-round picks (2031, 2033) and two first-round swaps (2028, 2030). Utah's busy offseason follows a busy trade deadline that saw the Jazz acquire forward Jaren Jackson Jr. from the Memphis Grizzlies.
ESPN's staff of experts is looking back at the offseason and taking an early look at the 2026-27 season for all 30 teams, with 30 pieces -- one for every team -- rolling out each weekday through Sept. 18. We're answering the biggest looming questions, evaluating X factors and much more for all 30 teams.
Let's dive into the Jazz, who are hoping their rebuilding days are behind them:
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Offseason at a glance
Key additions: G Darryn Peterson, C Jaxson Hayes, G Josh Okogie Key retentions: C Jusuf Nurkic Key subtractions: C Walker Kessler
The Jazz finally got some lottery luck, landing at No. 2 and taking Peterson, a gifted guard who has the potential to emerge as the face of the franchise. The hope was that Peterson would be the final major piece in Utah's rebuild, but that plan featured Kessler as the team's long-term starting center. Instead, the Jazz agreed to a sign-and-trade deal that sent Kessler to the Lakers in exchange for a pair of future first-round picks and two swaps. The return was widely considered to be great value for Utah, particularly after Kessler's deal (four years, $130 million) pushed beyond the Jazz's comfort zone, but there is now a glaring need in the starting lineup alongside Jackson and Lauri Markkanen in the frontcourt. -- Tim MacMahon
Zach Kram's offseason grade: A
Losing Kessler makes Utah a less compelling dark horse contender next season, and it will be interesting to see how much coach Will Hardy uses Jackson as a center in Kessler's stead, because neither Nurkic nor free agent addition Hayes is a top-level starter.
But the Jazz made arguably the best trade of the summer when they landed two unprotected first-round picks and two swaps for a good but not star-level player in Kessler. It's hard to fault them for taking another temporary step back when the Lakers were offering so much future value. -- Kram