The Utah Jazz's most recent offseason was primarily focused around continuing the development of their young core, while shipping out a bundle of tenured veterans to help elevate that youth movement for the season ahead.

In Monday's overtime win over the Suns, Markkanen became the first Jazz player to score at least 50 points since 1998.

The Phoenix Suns have dropped their last three games, all on the road, after winning their season opener at home.

Fifth-overall pick Ace Bailey has gotten his feet wet with some NBA regular season minutes amid the first two games of the Utah Jazz' s campaign, where they've wound up with an even 1-1 record in the books.

The Utah Jazz played 2,155 regular season games since Karl Malone scored 56 points in awin over Golden State on April 7, 1998. No Jazz player had topped the 50-point mark until Lauri Markkanen scored a career-high 51 in a 138-134 win over the Phoenix Suns on Monday night.

Recent Wisconsin graduates John Tonje, Steven Crowl and Max Klesmit officially made the Salt Lake City Stars' training camp roster on Monday

Oct 8, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Utah Jazz forward Ace Bailey (19) dunks the ball as Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (1) defends during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Utah Jazz aren't exactly title contenders, but at least they’ll try to win when and what they can this year. That's a step in the right direction, Tribune columnist Gordon Monson writes.

The Jazz open the season Wednesday night at home, kicking off another year of development, speculation, and hopefully just enough chaos to keep things compelling.

In those healthy preseason games, Bailey averaged 22.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2 assists per game on 65.5% from the floor and 40% from three-point range. In the regular season, those numbers are 1.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.