The most surprising team in the NBA thus far has been the Utah Jazz.
After trading Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert before the season, it seemed obvious that the Jazz were headed toward a rebuild.
But, that has not been further from the case this season.
Utah has gotten off to a fast start winning 10 of their first 13 games and leading the Western Conference with a 10-3 record.
They are 5-0 at home and have shown no signs of slowing down.
Can Utah Become A Playoff Team?
There is no reason to think they could not make the playoffs.
It would be surprising if they finish the year as a top-five team in the West.
But, they could sneak into one of the last few playoff spots with the way they have been playing.
The one player who has stepped up has been Lauri Markkanen.
Utah acquired him from the Cavaliers in the Mitchell trade, and Markkanen has been playing like an All-Star this year.
The 25-year-old is averaging 22.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists on the season.
Lauri Markkanen tonight:
32 PTS
8 REB
6-8 3PJazz are the first team to 10 wins this season. pic.twitter.com/dcvGfoATUw
— StatMuse (@statmuse) November 10, 2022
He looks poised for a career year.
The Jazz also have a nice combination of veterans and young players.
Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, and Rudy Gay are all veteran players that have played on playoff teams before.
They can help lead this young team through the ups and downs of a long NBA season.
Then players like Markkanen, Collin Sexton, and Walker Kessler are the young players that can provide constant sparks.
Each season there seems to be one team that comes out of nowhere to make a playoff run, this year that looks like the Jazz.
NEXT: Are the Utah Jazz A Real Contender?