Why Jazz, Jaren Jackson Jr. are projected to be 2026-27 NBA Western Conference's dark horse

Parity in the NBA is at an all-time high. So, being projected to have only 44 or so wins doesn't eliminate a squad's title-contending hopes. The Utah Jazz can bear this optimism heading into the 2026-27 season. Coach Will Hardy now has a revamped roster that can contend for a title, with Jaren Jackson Jr., Darryn Peterson, Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George, Jusuf Nurkic, and Ace Bailey. Believe it or not, this squad has been deemed as ESPN's top dark horse in the Western Conference.

Jazz led by Jackson Jr., Markkanen, and George projected by ESPN to be NBA's top dark horse

The Jazz may not look like much on paper, but they are more than meets the eye. Coach Will Hardy has proven he can win games through sheer wit, despite a thin rotation. So, expectations have risen once they made ample acquisitions who can compete at a higher level. This is why they are tied with the Indiana Pacers as the top contenders among teams likely to make a major leap.

A big reason the Jazz are projected this high is their new acquisitions heading into the 2026-27 NBA season. Rather than starting Cody Williams, Coach Hardy will now have the luxury of having Ace Bailey at shooting guard, where he can practice his scoring chops. Lauri Markkanen will also no longer play out of position at the five as Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic join the roster.

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Importantly, the Jazz have plenty of all-around depth that can compete against top teams in the Western Conference. Off the bench, Coach Hardy has Josh Okogie, Brice Sensabaugh, John Konchar, Svi Mykhailiuk, and Kyle Filipowski. Their interior presence is also one of the best in the league, with Filipowski, Jaxson Hayes, and Mo Bamba playing backup.

In terms of taking a leap, it's not hard to see why the Jazz can overtake a lot of teams in terms of development. They already showed early flashes of a decent offense with George leading a fast-paced approach like the 'Seven Seconds or Less' Phoenix Suns and the 2025 Pacers. The fact that they are also stacked with players who can create their own shots means that anyone can be a spark plug. The Jazz already have the foundation laid, as shown by their 117.6 points per game and 102.3 pace.

Defensively, the Jazz have one of the biggest upsides in the league. Jackson Jr. is a proven Defensive Player of the Year winner who has gotten better at catching weak-side cuts and defending in drop coverage. Adding Nurkic also means their paint will be packed, and scoring against their interior defense will be difficult. The Jazz need to improve more on this side of the floor.

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In fact, their defense will determine whether or not they do leap to becoming Western Conference dark horses.

It's not just the roster makeup and dark-horse title that Jazz fans should be excited about. ESPN also projects Coach Hardy to be a top candidate for the NBA Coach of the Year award. This reflects the belief and expectations placed on the Jazz head coach. He has now been in the NBA for a decade, helping the San Antonio Spurs remain competitive in the last few years of their dynasty and leading the Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals in 2022. Those are certainly enough accolades to trust him to develop their young guys en route to a possible title-contending run.

Plenty of factors will decide whether or not the Jazz truly do become contenders after just picking up Peterson, Jackson Jr., and Nurkic. But a few certainties will remain true for this franchise: Coach Hardy will run great schemes to get them into title contention, and their led by George offense will be scary. The defensive toss-up will dictate their success.

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Right now, ESPN projects the Jazz will win only 34 games, settling for the 10th seed in the Western Conference. They are dark horses for a reason, and proving that as the 2026-27 NBA season goes by will be their biggest challenge.