The popular jazz story turned out to be hilariously wrong

As the offseason came to a close for the Utah Jazz, many believed that things couldn’t have turned out worse for them. Sure, they got rid of their expendable players, but got next to nothing out of them. or so it seems. Two months into the season, it’s pretty clear that the Jazz have had a better offseason than most give them credit for.

That doesn’t mean it’s one genius offseason, but it has turned out better than many thought.

Let’s start with the obvious

The most infamous move they made was trading Collin Sexton for Jusuf Nurkic. Many believed Sexton was the better player, so why is it that not only did he not provide any value, but the Jazz had to give up value to get rid of him?

This has been discussed at length, but two months into the season it is clear how much the Jazz have needed Nurkic. Maybe it’s not in the way people would have preferred, but Nurkic has done the best he can as a substitute for Walker Kessler.

Nurkic hasn’t been the most impactful player for the Jazz, and his traditional numbers don’t do him justice, but there’s no telling where they would be now if they never acquired him. What makes it look better is that the Hornets added Sexton with the intention of improving, and yet the Jazz are better than them with a season one quarter over.

Kevin Love also turned out to be better than expected

Love was viewed as a contract filler when the Jazz acquired him. He’s not Love anymore, and hasn’t been his star self for a while. However, he has delivered on his promise as a veteran presence on the Jazz for their young talent like Ace Bailey.

In fact, when Kessler went down, the Jazz needed his frontcourt. While Love can’t perform on a regular basis at the moment, he has shown that he can, in fact, turn back the clock every now and then.

The kind of example he brings to the locker room is valuable enough in itself. However, the fact that Love is actually productive is a nice bonus. With low expectations, the Jazz look better to get him, and if he doesn’t look good enough, John Collins has flopped as a Clipper.

Getting rid of the guards paved the way for the betterment of their youth

Many shamed the Jazz for trading Sexton for seemingly little and then buying out Jordan Clarkson. While these two are still good players, getting rid of them was more about handing the keys to their young guards. Drafting Walter Clayton Jr. was a pretty good sign that they were all but gone

But this has led to the ascension of Keyonte George, while Clayton and Isaiah Collier have also gotten their feet a little wet this year. It’s not like everything has been perfect for them, but the Jazz see some promise in their young frontcourt. In any case, they have seen more than last season.

It’s not like Utah should approach every offseason like the team did a few months ago, but it does show that fans shouldn’t be so quick to jump to conclusions before the season is over.