The Utah Jazz have definitely been better than last season. Or, at the very least, they’ve been infinitely more watchable. Much of that stems from the Jazz making it clear fans wouldn’t see a repeat of last year, and in some respects, they weren’t lying. Lately, however, the Jazz have signaled that the tank is still very much on.
The hints had been there for some time when the team held out Lauri Markkanen for a couple of games for a “groin injury.” Now, after making his return against the Denver Nuggets, Markkanen is out yet again to manage this so-called groin injury, while Jusuf Nurkic is also out for rest.
Jazz Injury Report:
OUT – Elijah Harkless (G League)
OUT – Walker Kessler (left shoulder; injury recovery)
OUT – Lauri Markkanen (right groin; injury management)
OUT – Jusuf Nurkic (rest)
OUT – Georges Niang (left foot; fourth metatarsal stress reaction)
OUT – John Tonje (G…
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) December 23, 2025
Tonight, Utah is going up against Memphis on the back end of a back-to-back. The Grizzlies have been a bit of an enigma this season – partially because of how many injuries they have had to deal with – but if they lean towards the tank, the Jazz may want to keep that arms’ length. Hence, they will enter the game with a heavily depleted frontcourt.
Everyone knows this is the Jazz’s best choice, but because they turned out better than many expected, many questioned whether that’s what Utah planned to do. The latest trade intel suggests the Jazz want to tank both to get a high lottery pick and keep it out of Oklahoma City’s hands, and now we’re seeing that in real time.
Sadly, this may be only the start of Deja Vu for Utah
Benching Markkanen on a semi-regular basis may only be the start of the Jazz’s tank. Before we know it, not only will Nurkic see spotty minutes, but him, along with some of their other veterans, may be on a new team not too long from now.
Of course, this is the safest strategy to guarantee the Jazz’s future, and benching veterans in favor of playing the young players is probably what fans want to see more than anything. While fans have nothing against what the veterans have done, they want to see their young players play more than anything.
Even though Keyonte George has been downright fantastic, the other youngsters in Utah can’t say the same thing. The Jazz haven’t exactly gotten the production they would have liked out of the likes of Brice Sensabaugh, Kyle Filipowski, Taylor Hendricks, and Cody Williams.
The Jazz embracing the tank gives them a longer leash in due time, at least for this season. It will be a painful process for the next four months, but it should ensure the Jazz keep their pick, and better yet, their youth won’t be wasted on the young!