The Utah Jazz faded in the last few games of the regular season causing them to miss the playoffs by just a game. General manager Dennis Lindsey and head coach Quin Snyder were disappointed but insisted that the team's rebuilding process is almost over. One of the questions for the Jazz heading into the summer is the future of Trey Burke who fell out of the team's rotation..
"If you look at the metrics, we're toward the tail end of that (rebuilding). We're a competitive team," Lindsey told the Salt Lake Tribune.
The Jazz finished the season with a 40-42 record and was on the verge of the postseason. However, Utah lost steam as they won only one of their last five games of the season. Other factors such as injuries, defensive lapses and failed late-game executions doomed the Jazz.
Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert barely played together this season due to various injuries while sophomore guard Dante Exum missed the entire season because of a torn ACL. The Jazz also lost 19 games this season by five or fewer points, per Deseret News.
It was simply heartbreaking for the young core of the Jazz composed of Gordon Hayward, Rodney Hood, Favors and Gobert. "It was heartbreaking, man. A lot of guys took it kind of hard. I know I did," Favors said.
GM Lindsey also blamed himself for not using their cap space to sign a few veterans to help in the development of their young players. He also revealed that they had two failed trades at the deadline, one of them involving Burke.
When the Jazz acquired Shelvin Mack from the Hawks, Burke fell off the rotation. Does it mean he is going to be traded next season with Exum returning from injury?
According to a report by The Sun Herald, both the player and team have a very professional relationship since Burke's benching. The 23-year-old is still under contract for next season he doesn't know what the team's plans for him.
However, he is going to continue to improve his penetration, defense and putting on a little muscle. "I'm over the point of trying to prove anything to anybody. I just try to be the best version of myself I can be every day," Burke said.
Utah has a lottery pick in this year's draft for not making the playoffs. In the latest mock draft by Draft Express, the Jazz are likely to land the 12th pick in the draft and could select players like Demetrious Jackson, Timothe Luwawu and Deyonte Davis.
In the video below, the Jazz lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in Kobe Bryant's final game. It shows how bad Utah is down the stretch towards the end of the season.