The beginning of August is typically a quiet time on the NBA schedule, but this week, ESPN and CBS have published a number of pieces ranking each of the league's teams using a number of criteria.
Many analysts have been bullish on the Utah Jazz after they added George Hill, Joe Johnson and Boris Diaw earlier this summer, and this week's various rankings were no exception.
A group of CBS Sports writers ranked the Jazz's bench the best in the league. While noting Dante Exum, Alec Burks, Johnson and Trey Lyles, the group opines that Diaw could be the key.
"If he's the motivated Diaw that did whatever Gregg Popovich wanted him to do, this holds up as the top bench in the NBA. He's everything they want in a backup big man and gives Quin Snyder so many lineup options with his versatility."
CBS also ranked Utah's starting unit as the fifth-best in the league.
A group of ESPN writers projects Snyder's club will finish fifth in the Western Conference with a 45-37 record.
That same group projects the Jazz will have the second-best turnaround in the NBA behind only the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Ryan McDonald is a sports reporter at DeseretNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ryanwmcdonald.