The Utah Jazz have come under public scrutiny for all the wrong reasons. With veteran talent like Jaren Jackson Jr., Jusuf Nurkic, and Lauri Markkanen on the team, one would not expect the Jazz to dive right into tanking mode, but something happened last night that shocked the NBA world.
The Jazz were facing the Magic last night and were up as many as 17 points during the game. At the end of the third quarter, the Jazz were leading by seven points (94-87) when the team decided to bench four of their five starters (leaving only Ace Bailey on the court), which subsequently allowed the Magic to make a comeback and win the game 120-117.
What the Utah Jazz did tonight was truly disgusting and the NBA needs to step in pic.twitter.com/R6DjMQu55Q
— MD (@mike_daddino) February 8, 2026
Lauri Markkanen had 27 points with seven rebounds (12-21, 57.1 FG%) to lead all scorers for the Jazz. Jaren Jackson Jr was not far behind, stuffing the box score with 22 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals (9-17, 52.9 FG%).
Meanwhile, Jusuf Nurkic had 14 rebounds up until the end of the third quarter, when all of these key starters were forced to the bench for no solid reason.
The Jazz are currently 16-37 for the season in the first 53 games played, and despite acquiring Jackson Jr. in a blockbuster move before the trade deadline, they are expected to tank this season to maximize their own first-round pick from next season to add to a roster already logjammed with talent.
Following the game, the Jazz head coach Will Hardy spoke to the media and blamed the minutes rotation decisions on minutes restrictions. Other than Keyonte George, who had an injury scare, none of the three starters had a justified reason to be sitting out the fourth quarter in a close game.
If the Jazz’s 2026 first-round pick falls outside the top eight, then it will be conveyed to the OKC Thunder. Therefore, the Jazz have an additional incentive to ensure that they have the best chances to keep their pick and ensure it is highly valued in the process.
Following this loss to the Magic, the Jazz have fallen to the 13th seed in the West, only ahead of the Pelicans (14-40) and the Kings (12-42). If the season were to end today, they would have a nine percent chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
They are now headed to Miami to face the Heat on Monday. It will be interesting to see if the league office intervenes here or allows the Jazz to proceed this way.
