This was supposed to be the year for the Utah Jazz. Not the year the franchise would win its first title, but the year the collection of young talent and solid veterans would snap the team’s four-year playoff drought. The Jazz were primed for a step forward, at least. Sitting at 1–11, though, the season is already slipping through the cracks.

Injuries have hit Utah in the worst way like plenty of other teams across the NBA. After just four games, Jaren Jackson Jr. went down with a torn MCL that will keep him out until mid-December at least. On Wednesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Lauri Markkanen sustained a non-displaced fracture in his right hand that puts him on a similar injury timeline as Jackson.

Utah’s only victory thus far came in its second game of the year, a one-point win over the Pelicans at home on Oct. 23. The losing streak hit double digits on Wednesday when the Jazz gave up 38 points in the fourth quarter and lost to the Paolo Banchero-less Magic behind a 38-point scoring outburst out of Franz Wagner. Over the skid, it hasn’t been blowout loss after blowout loss. The biggest losses are two 22-point defeats, but five were within single digits with one overtime loss to the Spurs, notably.

However, the Jazz’s -138 point differential is the fourth-worst mark across the league and in front of only fellow one-win teams in the Kings, Bulls and Bucks. That’s not the company a team with playoff hopes wants to be in. Injuries have played a large part in the Jazz’s early woes, but the issues go far beyond that.

Injuries have held the Jazz back, but their offense has a long way to go

When the Jazz chose star Kansas guard Darryn Peterson with the second pick in the draft, the franchise completed its backcourt of the future alongside Keyonte George. George broke out last season with 23.6 points per game and earned a five-year, $157.5 million rookie scale extension over the summer.

Thus far, George has led the Jazz in scoring with 20.4 points per game, but he’s had a less-than-ideal start shooting—43.2% from the floor and 29.9% on three-pointers. He generates the majority of Utah’s offense, also averaging 6.5 assists a night. Peterson had an up-and-down start over his first handful of games, but he’s come on as of late with four straight 20-point performances.

Will Hardy’s offense is better when the two are on the floor. The offensive rating when Peterson and George are on the floor together is 108.2, according to Databallr, which exceeds the team’s overarching offensive rating of 103.8. The pair still needs time to gel—George hasn’t reached his ceiling of a potential All-Star guard and he’s shooting much worse than he should. Water will find its level and when it does, Peterson will have time to build off his recent solid stretch.

Beyond the backcourt, though, this Jazz group hasn’t clicked. Starting center Jusuf Nurkić’s injury has held the team back; he’s a big man who can somewhat space the floor. In his place, Jaxson Hayes has started. As a non-shooter, Hayes severely limits the offense, especially when Ace Bailey is struggling from deep (26.1% on 5.8 three-point attempts per game). Hardy’s starting group of George, Peterson, Bailey, Markkanen and Hayes had a woeful offensive rating of 83.3 and a net rating of -29.9. Yikes.

Without Markkanen, Josh Green has started and has actually helped with his defense as he cedes way for the young stars to get a healthy shot diet on offense. The issue is, that’s not the team this front office invested in. Jackson and Markkanen need to work alongside George and Peterson. In theory, that would pop offensively. On the floor, though, it might be clunky. The veterans could steal needed shots from the young backcourt, who should be the franchise’s primary scorers for the long haul.

On defense, Jackson is a game-changer as one of the NBA’s best rim protectors. There could be a need defending the perimeter, though, depending how Peterson develops on that end. He’s a promising defender, but in an ideal world, he becomes Utah’s top option. Do you really want that guy taking so much responsibility on both ends of the floor? Bailey could be the answer, but starting him alongside Markkanen, Jackson, George and Peterson hampers the Jazz on the glass.

Injuries have thrown Utah’s season off the rails, but with a terrible offense that can’t hit threes and subpar defense, there’s not much reason for optimism if the team ever gets fully healthy.

Utah’s decision to trade Walker Kessler is looking questionable right now

Over the offseason, the Jazz dealt Walker Kessler to the Lakers in a sign-and-trade for two unprotected future first-round picks and pick swaps. It was a haul of assets for Utah, but the shot-blocking center has thrived thus far in Los Angeles. A lot of that is thanks to playing next to Luka Dončić, but he certainly would help the Jazz through their current struggles if still in town.

With Kessler due for a big deal, the trade largely came down to a cap crunch after Utah acquired Jackson at the trade deadline. Plus, Markkanen is still on the books at around $50 million annually through 2028-29.

Jackson is making $49 million this year, and his contract increases slightly each year until he has to decide on a $53.5 million player option for the 2029-30 season. The Jazz gave up three first-rounders to bring in Jackson and, at this point, it’s fair to question whether that was the right move. Especially with his lack of availability. If the backcourt of George and Peterson was flanked by the lob threat that Kessler is with Markkanen spacing the floor, the offense may flow more freely. Bailey would have a more distinct role in the starting lineup if everyone was healthy, too, and he would help balance out the defense.

It’s still early, and the Peterson-George duo has more time to improve next to one another while the team gets healthy. But at 1–11, the Jazz have little room for error with a hobbled roster. With how things are going, Utah is headed for another year hoping for luck in the draft lottery opposed to taking a playoff leap the group seemed ready to make.

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