There are plenty of ways to describe a rough start to an NBA season. For The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, the Utah Jazz have officially entered the “dregs.”
The word “dregs” refers to the least valuable or most undesirable part of something. It’s not exactly where a team wants to be four games into a season, especially one that entered the year hoping to leave its rebuilding days behind.
But Simmons isn’t buying what the Jazz are selling just yet.
In his first NBA “power poll” of the season on his Tuesday podcast, Simmons placed Utah at No. 25 out of the 30 teams, giving the Jazz the final spot in his bottom-tier grouping, which he called “The Dregs.”
“No. 25, last team in ‘The Dregs,’ is the Utah Mustard Juice,” Simmons said. “They are 1 in 3.”
The nickname might sting a little less than the rest of his assessment. Simmons questioned whether Utah’s decision to trade for star Jaren Jackson Jr. was worth the cost, particularly with him already sidelined by another lengthy injury.
“You’re not going to believe this, but Jaren Jackson’s hurt already,” Simmons said. “He has played 13,000 career minutes. This is season number nine for him. He has played 1,800-plus minutes three times.”
Simmons was referring to Jackson’s history of limited availability and the concerns that come with building around a player who has struggled to stay on the court. The Jazz acquired Jackson from Memphis in February, hoping the former Defensive Player of the Year would help the team’s defensive woes.
But Jackson’s latest setback on Monday has already complicated those plans.
How much can the Jazz afford to lose?
Simmons’ biggest question for Jazz fans was whether the team would have been better off keeping 7-footer Walker Kessler rather than trading assets to acquire Jackson.
“If you’re a Jazz fan, you’re now entering the think zone here of, we traded some stuff away for Jaren Jackson Jr. And then we got some stuff back for Kessler,” Simmons said. “Would I rather have just kept Kessler and not traded anything for Jaren Jackson Jr.? That’s where my head would be at as a Utah fan.”
It’s way too early, though, to draw conclusions about the trades despite Simmons’ concerns.
Jackson’s health concerns are particularly frustrating because the Jazz entered the season expecting their frontcourt to be a strength. Instead, Utah is already dealing with a series of injuries that threaten to derail its early progress.
Center Jusuf Nurkić has yet to play this season after suffering a partial plantar plate tear in his right foot. Jaxson Hayes also missed Monday’s home game against Memphis with a shoulder injury.
Then things got worse.
Franchise star Lauri Markkanen also exited Monday’s game with a right wrist sprain and is considered day-to-day.
Utah’s first four games have offered a mixed picture of what this team can be. The Jazz opened the season with a 123-103 loss to Memphis, struggling to win the possession battle as the Grizzlies out-rebounded them 55-38 and collected 15 offensive rebounds.
The Jazz responded with a dramatic 120-119 win over New Orleans, but the defensive concerns returned in a 132-123 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Utah surrendered a 15-point lead in the third quarter against the Pelicans and struggled to contain Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves against LA.
The second loss to Memphis on Monday brought another comeback attempt that fell short — and two major injuries that could make the coming weeks even more difficult.
The young core just got a much bigger opportunity
While Simmons had questions about Jackson’s availability, he also offered a measured assessment of No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson.
“Peterson looks OK. He doesn’t look busty,” Simmons said. “He’s not jumping out of my TV there. He looks fine. He’s a playable starting guard.”
Simmons compared Peterson with other rookies who have caught his attention, including Cameron Boozer, but made sure to acknowledge the obvious caveat of it being only one week.
“I am not overreacting,” he said. “I am just pointing out what I’ve watched for the first seven days and he has not jumped out of the TV to me yet. But I’m gonna give it some time.”
Peterson has shown good flashes through Utah’s opening games, but the adjustment to the league hasn’t been seamless. Against Memphis on Monday, he finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists, shooting 5-of-18 from the field while making three of his five attempts from beyond the arc and helping with the almost comeback.
Now, with Jackson expected to miss significant time and Markkanen’s status uncertain, Peterson and the rest of Utah’s young core have a bigger opportunity to show what they can do.
Rising star Keyonte George and second-year forward Ace Bailey have already provided encouraging moments. Bailey scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against Memphis on Monday, while George continues to shoulder a significant offensive role with two double-doubles in the four games.
The injuries could force coach Will Hardy to lean more heavily on those young players in the lineup and bench earlier than expected. That creates challenges for a young team trying to establish itself as a legitimate contender, but it also gives Utah a chance to accelerate the development of its core.
Simmons might not be ready to believe in the Jazz yet. And after a 1-3 start, Utah hasn’t given him much reason to change his mind.
But as the Pod Father himself acknowledged, it’s only been a week. Let’s all calm down.
The Jazz still have plenty of time to prove they belong above the dregs.