Feb 26, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith walks past head coach Will Hardy in the second half during a game against the Sacramento Kings at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

Jazz Owner Shares Thoughts on Roster After 17-Win Season

Originally posted on Utah Jazz on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated May 10, 2025 12:53 PM ET

It was nothing short of a rough season for the Utah Jazz.

With 17 wins stamped in the books, effectively being their worst regular season output in franchise history, there were a few bumps in the road and growing pains throughout the 2024-25 year that ended up sinking this team to the bottom of the NBA standings, and with it, landing some of the best odds in this offseason's draft lottery looming right around the corner,

However, when looking ahead to what's to come for the Jazz and their methodical rebuild, there's a bit of considerable optimism surrounding the state of the franchise, especially in the eyes of owner Ryan Smith.

During his latest interview on The Pat McAfee Show, Smith recently dove into some of his feelings on both the Jazz's young roster and how the landscape looks ahead, and it's clear Utah's owner is confident in what's been built as a part of his current group, as well as their setup for the future.

"We've got a young squad," Hardy said. "We've got like nine guys under the age of 23. So, we've had a lot of picks, and we've got a lot of picks coming out. I think we, as much as anyone, have the most first-round picks in the NBA coming out, so we're definitely growing our talent here."

Utah might still be coveting that 1A superstar to lead the charge, but in terms of the surrounding talent that's been furnished across the past three summers, the Jazz brass has made several compelling additions who may inevitably fall in line as long-term, winning contributors.

Whether it be Walker Kessler making his stellar year three jump, seeing some budding qualities from rookies Isaiah Collier and Kyle Filipowski, or the second-year flashes from Keyonte George and Brice Sensabaugh, it was a year of trial and error for Utah, but also one filled with growth.

Now entering this summer, that existing young talent will not only have an opportunity to further develop and grow, but it also provides the Jazz brass to bring in potentially four new prospects with their scheduled selections later this June– perhaps at number one overall if the cards fall right on Monday.

This article first appeared on Utah Jazz on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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