Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell leaves the ground after a Sport 6 first-round playoff sport in opposition to the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, April 28, 2022, in Salt Lake Metropolis. Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Information
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) drives on Utah Jazz ahead Bojan Bogdanovic (44) because the Utah Jazz and the Dallas Mavericks play Sport 4 of their playoff sequence at Vivint Area in Salt Lake Metropolis on Saturday, April 23, 2022. Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
I believe that we may all most likely agree on some basic statements concerning the NBA, their tv companions and the way they market one of the best gamers, the up-and-coming gamers and the All-Stars of the league.
- The NBA needs eyeballs on one of the best groups within the league.
- The NBA needs eyeballs on the probably the most marketable gamers and on the highest expertise.
- The NBA’s broadcast companions wish to televise video games that provide intrigue and a aggressive environment that embody huge names and shiny stars.
The NBA schedule for the 2022-23 season was launched Wednesday and whereas the schedule solely included dates, groups and instances, it mentioned an entire lot extra.
The Utah Jazz, who had 26 nationally televised video games on their schedule final yr, are slated to play in simply 4 nationally televised video games this coming season.
Final yr the Jazz had 4 appearances on TNT alone. This season the Jazz will play in a single TNT sport and three video games slated for NBA TV. They aren't scheduled to play any video games on ABC or ESPN. The one different groups whose schedules are void of ABC and ESPN video games are the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic — three of the 4 worst groups within the NBA final season.
The Jazz, Thunder, Pistons & Magic are the one groups with no ESPN/ABC video games this season.#NBATwitterpic.twitter.com/tgIt7aoYui
— 𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣’ 𝙉𝘽𝘼 (@_Talkin_NBA) August 17, 2022
So which Jazz sport did the NBA’s tv companions see as being essential sufficient to broadcast nationally? Is it when the Jazz will face Rudy Gobert and the Timberwolves for the primary time on Oct. 21 in Minnesota? No. Is it when the Jazz face any of the highest groups within the league or those that may make an NBA title run? Nope.
The Jazz’s lone TNT look shall be in opposition to an Jap Convention crew that didn’t even end within the prime 10 within the convention standings final season. Why would that be? Properly, that Nov. 15 dwelling sport is in opposition to the New York Knicks, the crew that has lengthy been rumored to be the most probably commerce vacation spot for Donovan Mitchell.
This stuff usually are not a coincidence. Principally the prime-time tv scheduling bigwigs appeared on the NBA schedule and are firmly betting in opposition to the Utah Jazz being any good within the 2022-23 season and absolutely imagine that a deal shall be made that sends Mitchell to the Knicks.
For Jazz followers, trying deeper into the schedule received’t make them really feel any higher. Ten of the Jazz’s first 11 video games are in opposition to groups who're anticipated to be within the hunt for a Western Convention playoff spot, and if the schedule makers and their TV companions are proper concerning the Jazz being a subpar crew subsequent season, that might imply a extremely tough begin with a whole lot of losses, one proper after one other, setting the tone for an extended season.
Utah will get an consideration enhance throughout All-Star Weekend, Feb. 17-19, when the NBA world and all of its brightest stars will descend on Salt Lake Metropolis, however outdoors of that, the NBA will not be anticipating the Jazz to be a serious a part of the narrative that shapes the upcoming NBA season.
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) drives on Utah Jazz ahead Bojan Bogdanovic (44) because the Utah Jazz and the Dallas Mavericks play Sport 4 of their playoff sequence at Vivint Area in Salt Lake Metropolis on Saturday, April 23, 2022.
Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information