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Two seasons ago, the Utah Jazz won 54 games, made it to the Western Conference Finals, and looked like one of the best young teams in the NBA, officially remaking itself after the Karl Malone and John Stockton Era. Last season, they regressed, never looking fully comfortable in winning 48 games. They snuck into the playoffs as the 8 seed before being quickly dispatched by the Los Angeles Lakers in round one.

After an offseason with some turmoil surrounding their big men, they hope to get back on track in 2009-10. They entertained offers for Carlos Boozer (doing their best to trade him and his contract), and it was a difficult decision whether to resign Paul Millsap or not. In the end, they enter the season with basically the same roster intact, hoping to recapture some of the magic from two seasons ago.

Their leader and star is unquestionably Deron Williams, one of the best point guards in the NBA. He is one of the best passers in the NBA, averaging nearly 11 assists per game last season. He has one of the best crossovers in the NBA, which makes him very difficult near the end of the shot clock or the end of games. He has a penchant for getting into the lane and hitting a short jumper as time winds down. He is the new face of the franchise, and appears to be good enough to lead the Jazz to big heights if he has the talent around him.

A lot of the questions center on big men Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur. They were both exceptional in the playoffs two seasons ago, but their play dropped off last season, especially Boozer. Boozer played in only 37 games last season, and this clearly affected his play. His scoring dipped nearly 5 points per game, as he became far less efficient on the offensive end. In his absense, the development of Paul Millsap was a revelation for the franchise, but they need Boozer playing at his best if they are going to contend in the Western Conference. Hi peak is higher than Millsap's at this point in their careers, and they need him to produce.

The continued development of Ronnie Brewer and CJ Miles on the wings will also be paramount for them to make it back to the post-season. Both guys are young and loaded with talent, but they have to put it all together. Brewer seems a little farther along, as he averaged nearly 14 points per game last season and was a solid defender. Both guys are under 25, so there should be room for continued growth.

The Utah Jazz have a lot of talent on paper, led by their talented PG Deron Williams. If they can remain healthy, get solid performance out of Carlos Boozer, and have the young wings continue to grow, we could again see the Utah Jazz near the top of the Western Conference.

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