Let's compare position by position:
PG: 2014: Burke/Exum vs. 2013: JLIII/Exum and Garrett. I'd say this is a wash. Burke started off the season shooting as poorly as Tinsley/JLIII. He's improved to about the same level as last year. TBH, Garrett was better than Exum has been. But let's call this EVEN (with the hope Exum eventually breaks out).
Wings: 2014: Burks, Hayward, Hood/Ingles vs. 2013: Burks, Hayward, Jefferson. Hayward playing better. Burks perhaps slightly better, although his scoring is down. But Jefferson >>>>>>>>>> Hood + Ingles. Not even close. RJ shot 45%/41%. He played 27 mins/per, which is about what Hood and Ingles get combined. Do I think Hood will be MUCH better than RJ at some point? Yes, definitely. But he missed several games and is struggling with his shooting. Also don't forget the Jazz had Marvin Williams playing SF for the first part of the season. Marvin >>>>>>>> Ingles. Big advantage 2013!
Bigs: 2014: Favors, Kanter, Gobert, Booker vs. 2013: Favors, Kanter, Gobert, Marvin Williams, Evans. OK, a little difficult to compare because roles have changed.
a. Kanter now starts but has been pushed outside.
b. Gobert now gets PT every game. Last season only 45 games and less than 10 mins/per
c. Evans is no longer a rotation player.
Favors and Gobert have certainly improved. Kanter IS improving, but his role has changed and he has really struggled adjusting, especially in the early part of the season. Marvin provided the Jazz with outside shooting once he was moved over from the 3 to the 4. I'd take Marvin over Booker. Trevor is tough, but doesn't provide spacing. As an overall group, I think 2013 was better and more versatile. 2014 has good potential, but we've seen Gobert start to emerge right as Booker has slumped. And again, we have no shooters. I'd call this 2013 for now, but could tip to 2014 as Gobert keeps improving and if/when Kanter or Booker can give Utah some 3PT shooting. Let's be generous and say EVEN.
Really, what it comes down to is youth. RJ and Marvin were big parts of the team last year. Jefferson, at least offensively, revived his career. We've replaced those vets with Booker and rookies. I'm not surprised the overall record is about even. Last season the schedule was even harder to begin with than this year, which meant it was then a little easier afterwards. Given the team we have (young bench), Exum and Hood not contributing much, and Trey not improving at all, I'm not surprised Utah is on track to again win 25 games. And that can't be put entirely on Quin's head. DL could have given him a stronger team. Then again, I think the whole idea of a rebuild is to develop your existing talent and go for a couple of picks in the upper half of the lottery, not sign mid-level vets as band-aids in an attempt to win 35-40 games. Maybe that challenges for the playoffs in the EC; it sure doesn't in the WC.
