Utah Jazz: Season Preview for 2026

News ArticlePublishedJul 30, 2026 at 01:02 PM EDTThere are some teams that rebuild and then there are others that go beyond that and really make bold moves.The Utah Jazz are the latter. The Jazz are entering a new phase, and the message from the front office is pretty clear: The rebuild is moving toward something more competitive.The biggest sign came before last season's trade deadline when Utah made the move for Jaren Jackson Jr. The deal, which sent a package to Memphis that included Utah's 2027 first-round pick, showed the Jazz weren't interested in simply waiting around for years. They wanted to add a proven piece and start building around a younger core.This offseason brought another major change. Walker Kessler is gone after leaving in a sign-and-trade, which takes away one of Utah'