From the league's worst defense to perhaps one of its best?
The Utah Jazz were many things in the 2025-26 season. They were NBA's public enemy number one and the poster child of the tanking epidemic, for starters. Take it one step further and they were tied for the worst record in the Western Conference with the historically inept Sacramento Kings. They were a playground for young, fascinating talents like Ace Bailey and Keyonte George, as well as the nursing home for Kevin Love in his twilight.
But "defense-minded" is not one term that anyone would ever use to define the Utah Jazz.
With the second-worst defensive rating in the entire NBA (losing out only to the league-worst Washington Wizards)
This hasn't always been the case in Utah. As a matter of fact, when Rudy Gobert patrolled the paint in Salt Lake City, the Jazz were considered one of the most formidable defensive units in all of basketball. As it would turn out, however, Gobert is a walking top-10 defense all by himself when anchored down low, and has developed into perhaps one of the most underrated perimeter defenders in the entire NBA since joining the Timberwolves.
But Walker Kessler and Jaren Jackson Jr., two of basketball's premier rim-protectors, transformed their teams' entire identity in the brief periods they spent on the floor -- though their timelines never overlapped, with Kessler's season-ending injury occurring in the opening moments of the year, and JJJ only making a few appearances before he went under the knife himself.
The Jazz had a team defensive rating of 122.3 in 2025-26. Kessler and Jackson posted defensive ratings of 116.9 and 116.3, respectively.
No, two players alone will not eliminate the team's defensive woes in a moment; Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier are still stranded out on the perimeter with nowhere to go. But two players with reputations as strong as theirs could turn Utah's starting lineup into the most formidable shot-blocking force this side of San Antonio (and the other side of San Antonio, truthfully).
Jackson has averaged just shy of 2 blocks per game through his pro career, while being named the block champion twice by climbing as high as 3.0 blocks per contest in his Defensive Player of the Year season. JJJ was an All-Defense team selection thrice with Memphis.
Walker Kessler is a similar story, averaging 2.4 rejections per game through his four-year career.
Combining forces in the front court makes Utah one of the most formidable defensive fronts in all of basketball. Should the team add Darryn Peterson with the second overall pick, Utah's perimeter could be stout enough to pair with an already unfair one-two punch in the paint.
If the Jazz are intent on winning basketball games in 2026-27 -- and they are -- gentrifying their defensive side was a masterstroke by the Utah front office.
