Utah Jazz 2026-27 Preview: Center Depth Sets Early Test

The Utah Jazz will enter the 2026-27 season with a major question at center, where Jusuf Nurkic and free-agent addition Jaxson Hayes are expected to handle the vast majority of the minutes. Utah has re-signed Nurkic on a two-year, $22 million deal, but the roster construction makes clear that finding a longer-term answer at the position remains a front-office priority.

Nurkic averaged 10.9 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game last season, production that made him a worthwhile player to retain. The Jazz, however, had hoped to deploy him as a high-caliber backup rather than depend on him for such a large share of the center workload. That distinction makes the position an immediate storyline as Utah shifts toward a more competitive approach.

Center search remains central to Utah’s plans

The Nurkic-Hayes pairing gives Utah a thunder-and-lightning combination at center for the opening phase of the season, but it does not remove the organization’s longer-range need. The Jazz are expected to monitor the trade market and could eventually use draft capital acquired in the Walker Kessler sign-and-trade to pursue a replacement.

Patience may be required. Utah has options for the present, yet the roster’s future at center is unresolved. How well Nurkic and Hayes cover the position could influence both the team’s early results and the urgency of any future personnel move. Nurkic’s rebounding and passing numbers from last season offer a dependable baseline, while Hayes arrives as the notable free-agent addition in the rotation.

Utah begins the campaign ranked No. 23 in Basketball Power Index. That placement reflects a team still carrying major questions, even as its focus moves away from losing and toward building a more functional winning group. The next step is not solely about finding a center; it is also about changing habits that developed over several seasons.

The Jazz allowed opponents the highest shot quality in the league across the last three years, at 55.7% using Genius IQ’s QSP measure. With Utah presumably no longer tanking, that figure should improve. Still, the challenge is substantial because the team must show how quickly it can overcome defensive habits formed during that period. Motivation can help improve defense, but the season will test whether the Jazz can translate that intention into a more reliable performance level.

Ace Bailey and Isaiah Collier add to the development picture

Ace Bailey is identified as Utah’s biggest X factor. The 20-year-old could face a different environment as the Jazz make a more serious effort to win games. He is not yet an established NBA contributor on the level of Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George, and he also arrives without the immediate novelty surrounding additions such as Jackson and No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson.

Bailey nevertheless remains an important developmental piece. Only a year removed from being selected fifth in the draft, he produced 13.8 points per game as a rookie on below-average, but not disastrous, efficiency. He also averaged 27.6 minutes per game last season. For Utah, the priority is for Bailey to convert more of his potential into production that keeps him on the floor for a better team and sustains his developmental opportunities.

Isaiah Collier is another player worth tracking, particularly in deeper fantasy formats. He averaged 7.2 assists in only 25 minutes per game last season, the eighth-highest assist average in the league, and posted 33.0 fantasy points per game after the All-Star break. Utah’s best pure playmaker is projected to open as the backup point guard.

Collier’s shooting will be pivotal to his role. Further improvement could establish him as a legitimate sixth man, while continued struggles could put his minutes under pressure. Alongside the center situation, Bailey’s progression and Collier’s ability to capitalize on his playmaking opportunity give the Jazz several key internal questions to answer in 2026-27.