Tom Pitt
Well-Known Member
So since '79 when we the Jazz moved to SLC, I would define competitive era's as the following
1st era 1983-84 through the 85-86 season season yielded 3 playoff appearances. That was the Dantley Ricky Green Era, that resulted in two playoff series wins believe it or not. Malone's rookie season was 85-86 and Stockton was a backup point guard for the final two seasons of this era. Dantley was traded after the 85-86 season due a deteriorating relationship with Layden (which makes me wonder if Dantley had stayed around what could have been. Would he have been enough to push the Jazz to win that 7 game series vs the lakers in the late 80s. He did after all make the Allstar team in 1988)
2nd era 1987-88 seasons through 2002-2003 season. The most iconic iteration of Jazz basketball, The Stockton and Malone era. the Jazz made the playoffs every season of this era and it culminated as you all know in two finals appearances vs MJ (the real GOAT not LeBron) the Bulls in 1997 and 1998 where the team lost in 6 games both times. Now you could make a case there are sort different versions of the Stockton and Malone teams but for my purposes I am headlining these eras based on the primary engines and Stockton and Malone's just lasted a long time.
3rd era 2006-2007 through 2010-2011. the Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, AK47 era. This era was rather interesting. and 2011 was the only year of this era where the Jazz did not make the playoffs because they traded away DWill after Coach Sloan's abrupt resignation. I think the Jazz were the first team in NBA history to be 14 games over .500 at some point in the season (27-13) and still miss the playoffs. Lots of faces and names to remember and the first winning iteration of Jazz Basketball for me as an adult. Guys like Kyle Korver, Okur, Paul Millslap (I vaguely remember people on JazzFanz trying to make the nickname Maul Pimplsap a thing) Matt Harpring, Ronnie Brewer, C.J. Miles, Wes Matthews, and Derick Fisher (Boo) come to mind. this team could never quite beat Kobe's Lakers where our postseasons ended every time except when we lost to Duncan's Spurs in 07.
(I'm not gonna count that 2012 Jazz team that got swept by the Spurs in the first round as an era. It was a blip. The whole thing was house of cards. Ty Corbin as coach, Al Jefferson, Devin Harris, early Hayward and Favors etc. It was kind of whatever and never had a chance)
4th Era 2016-2017 Thank you, Utah Era. The year Hayward became an Allstar. An era of 1 season that resulted in the break of up Lob City where the Gordon Hayward led Jazz beat the CP3, Griffin, Jordan, Redick lob city Clippers. This series was weird. Gobert got hurt in the first few seconds of game 1, and came back later on not 100%. Hayward ate at Zupa's and had gastric level distress in game 4. The Clippers were already ahead in the series 2-1 and it looked with Hayward leaving mid game and Gobert on a minutes restriction the Jazz were gonna lose. They were down in the 4th quarter but then we got Smooth Jazz Joe Johnson (I always thought this should be his nickname) to reach deep into his bag and he scored like 13 of our last 15 points and led the Jazz to tie the series at 2-2. I still remember Stephen A Smith losing his **** before game 7 saying *Really Stephen A voice* "If the Clippers lose this game, it means Chris Paul,Blake Griffin, Deandre Jordan, JJ, Redick, Jamal Crawford and those boys lost the Gordon Hayward, and Joe Johnson." Of course the celebrations of a series win was short lived because KD decided to ruin the NBA for a few years and go to the already best team of all time and the Jazz got swept in the next round which probably precipitated Hayward's departure from the Jazz a few months later which gave us all sports PTSD.
5th era 2017-2022 The Donovan and Rudy Era. This was maybe the most fun and most frustrating era of Jazz basketball. Don's rookie year was incredibly fun. But can you believe that it resulted in just 1 more playoff series win compared to the Hayward Era? Game 6 when the Jazz broke the OKC3 was maybe the most fun game of this entire era. You remember it? the game that was Don's coming-out party on the national stage. Mitchell scored 38 points and scored 10 straight shots stretching into the 4th quarter in the highest pressure environment. The fact the game was in SLC added to the magic. But this team could never quite compete with the best teams in the west. This team's ceiling was basically 2nd round exit. It wasn't that Gobert got exposed in the playoffs as the narrative is. It's that Gobert was expected to guard his own man and everyone else's as this team had very little defensive chops outside Rudy. This era yielded lots of memories. Joe Ingles becoming Paul George's daddy, the Joe ingles/Favors pick and roll, Rudy's positive covid test being the first domino to usher the entire western world into covid madness, the Jamal Murray/Donovan Mitchell duel and even the nadir when Terrance Mann made people think falsely that Rudy wasn't good (poor analysis). But yeah I mean, this era at least gave us a season where the Jazz were the #1 team in the NBA record wise, though due to injuries and roster construction we learned the team wasn't as good as we hoped.
6th era 2026-to be determined. The Laurie, Keyonte, JJJ era? It is interesting to wonder what this group could accomplish. I might argue I think Will Hardy is a better coach than Snyder and maybe he could be as good as Sloan. I might go there but it is too premature at this point. Key, Ace, Laurie, JJJ, Kessler could be as talented as 5 man group as we've had right? we'll see how it gells together but Ultimately I think the ceiling of this group will be determined by Ace's development, particularly in year 3 or 4 of his career.
(7th Era 2030 or 2031? Probably Ace, Keyonte, and maybe whoever the Jazz draft in 2026 if they are able to keep their pick. But this is way out there. premature. don't hate me for bringing it up.)
this all brings me to what inspired me to starting writing this in the first place. Ace is something. I'm not sure what he is yet, but he's definitely something. Is he Rashard Lewis? MPJ? 80% of prime KD? we'll see but man kid is 19, doesn't turn 20 till August and it is hard not to get excited about how good he could be if he works hard, stays healthy and things come together. the Jazz have never had a big wing as talented as Ace imo. I am carefully optimistic especially after 4 years of hard tanking and soft tanking
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvdoGTrNV9I
I mean, can you really tell me in 4 years his floor isn't top 50 player? the 6th and 7th era's of Jazz basketball could be the best yet. I like to live my life thinking the best is yet to come. Perhaps we'll get to see that come to fruition as fans
1st era 1983-84 through the 85-86 season season yielded 3 playoff appearances. That was the Dantley Ricky Green Era, that resulted in two playoff series wins believe it or not. Malone's rookie season was 85-86 and Stockton was a backup point guard for the final two seasons of this era. Dantley was traded after the 85-86 season due a deteriorating relationship with Layden (which makes me wonder if Dantley had stayed around what could have been. Would he have been enough to push the Jazz to win that 7 game series vs the lakers in the late 80s. He did after all make the Allstar team in 1988)
2nd era 1987-88 seasons through 2002-2003 season. The most iconic iteration of Jazz basketball, The Stockton and Malone era. the Jazz made the playoffs every season of this era and it culminated as you all know in two finals appearances vs MJ (the real GOAT not LeBron) the Bulls in 1997 and 1998 where the team lost in 6 games both times. Now you could make a case there are sort different versions of the Stockton and Malone teams but for my purposes I am headlining these eras based on the primary engines and Stockton and Malone's just lasted a long time.
3rd era 2006-2007 through 2010-2011. the Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, AK47 era. This era was rather interesting. and 2011 was the only year of this era where the Jazz did not make the playoffs because they traded away DWill after Coach Sloan's abrupt resignation. I think the Jazz were the first team in NBA history to be 14 games over .500 at some point in the season (27-13) and still miss the playoffs. Lots of faces and names to remember and the first winning iteration of Jazz Basketball for me as an adult. Guys like Kyle Korver, Okur, Paul Millslap (I vaguely remember people on JazzFanz trying to make the nickname Maul Pimplsap a thing) Matt Harpring, Ronnie Brewer, C.J. Miles, Wes Matthews, and Derick Fisher (Boo) come to mind. this team could never quite beat Kobe's Lakers where our postseasons ended every time except when we lost to Duncan's Spurs in 07.
(I'm not gonna count that 2012 Jazz team that got swept by the Spurs in the first round as an era. It was a blip. The whole thing was house of cards. Ty Corbin as coach, Al Jefferson, Devin Harris, early Hayward and Favors etc. It was kind of whatever and never had a chance)
4th Era 2016-2017 Thank you, Utah Era. The year Hayward became an Allstar. An era of 1 season that resulted in the break of up Lob City where the Gordon Hayward led Jazz beat the CP3, Griffin, Jordan, Redick lob city Clippers. This series was weird. Gobert got hurt in the first few seconds of game 1, and came back later on not 100%. Hayward ate at Zupa's and had gastric level distress in game 4. The Clippers were already ahead in the series 2-1 and it looked with Hayward leaving mid game and Gobert on a minutes restriction the Jazz were gonna lose. They were down in the 4th quarter but then we got Smooth Jazz Joe Johnson (I always thought this should be his nickname) to reach deep into his bag and he scored like 13 of our last 15 points and led the Jazz to tie the series at 2-2. I still remember Stephen A Smith losing his **** before game 7 saying *Really Stephen A voice* "If the Clippers lose this game, it means Chris Paul,Blake Griffin, Deandre Jordan, JJ, Redick, Jamal Crawford and those boys lost the Gordon Hayward, and Joe Johnson." Of course the celebrations of a series win was short lived because KD decided to ruin the NBA for a few years and go to the already best team of all time and the Jazz got swept in the next round which probably precipitated Hayward's departure from the Jazz a few months later which gave us all sports PTSD.
5th era 2017-2022 The Donovan and Rudy Era. This was maybe the most fun and most frustrating era of Jazz basketball. Don's rookie year was incredibly fun. But can you believe that it resulted in just 1 more playoff series win compared to the Hayward Era? Game 6 when the Jazz broke the OKC3 was maybe the most fun game of this entire era. You remember it? the game that was Don's coming-out party on the national stage. Mitchell scored 38 points and scored 10 straight shots stretching into the 4th quarter in the highest pressure environment. The fact the game was in SLC added to the magic. But this team could never quite compete with the best teams in the west. This team's ceiling was basically 2nd round exit. It wasn't that Gobert got exposed in the playoffs as the narrative is. It's that Gobert was expected to guard his own man and everyone else's as this team had very little defensive chops outside Rudy. This era yielded lots of memories. Joe Ingles becoming Paul George's daddy, the Joe ingles/Favors pick and roll, Rudy's positive covid test being the first domino to usher the entire western world into covid madness, the Jamal Murray/Donovan Mitchell duel and even the nadir when Terrance Mann made people think falsely that Rudy wasn't good (poor analysis). But yeah I mean, this era at least gave us a season where the Jazz were the #1 team in the NBA record wise, though due to injuries and roster construction we learned the team wasn't as good as we hoped.
6th era 2026-to be determined. The Laurie, Keyonte, JJJ era? It is interesting to wonder what this group could accomplish. I might argue I think Will Hardy is a better coach than Snyder and maybe he could be as good as Sloan. I might go there but it is too premature at this point. Key, Ace, Laurie, JJJ, Kessler could be as talented as 5 man group as we've had right? we'll see how it gells together but Ultimately I think the ceiling of this group will be determined by Ace's development, particularly in year 3 or 4 of his career.
(7th Era 2030 or 2031? Probably Ace, Keyonte, and maybe whoever the Jazz draft in 2026 if they are able to keep their pick. But this is way out there. premature. don't hate me for bringing it up.)
this all brings me to what inspired me to starting writing this in the first place. Ace is something. I'm not sure what he is yet, but he's definitely something. Is he Rashard Lewis? MPJ? 80% of prime KD? we'll see but man kid is 19, doesn't turn 20 till August and it is hard not to get excited about how good he could be if he works hard, stays healthy and things come together. the Jazz have never had a big wing as talented as Ace imo. I am carefully optimistic especially after 4 years of hard tanking and soft tanking
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvdoGTrNV9I
I mean, can you really tell me in 4 years his floor isn't top 50 player? the 6th and 7th era's of Jazz basketball could be the best yet. I like to live my life thinking the best is yet to come. Perhaps we'll get to see that come to fruition as fans
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