LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 25: Quin Snyder of the Utah Jazz talks to the media at a press conference after Game Five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the LA Clippers during the 2017 NBA Playoffs on April 25, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Utah Jazz have entered training camp without any injury issues and while that may seem like a given this early in the year, it’s a major upgrade from last season.

As I touched on in my previous post, one of the biggest issues facing the Utah Jazz the last two seasons has been their collective inability to remain healthy. Injuries have plagued several key players, especially Derrick Favors, Rodney Hood, Alec Burks and former Jazzman George Hill, but few players have been completely exempt.

The amount of injuries the team has had to endure has become nothing short of comical as several running jokes among Jazz fans have included mention of which player will be the next to go down. However, in reality, the issues with health are no laughing matter.

Utah’s inability to keep a consistent and healthy team on the floor has been one of their major weaknesses over the past two years and has prevented them from ever reaching their full potential or building optimal cohesion and chemistry throughout both their first and second unit.

Utah Jazz: New training staff could be most crucial offseason addition https://t.co/EKthr1aike pic.twitter.com/xvcfGMnz8q — The J-Notes (@TheJNotes) September 27, 2017

If the Jazz hadn’t struggled with such injury woes, it’s not a stretch to believe that they very well could have earned a playoff spot in 2015-16 and perhaps finished with a high enough seed to have avoided the Golden State Warriors in the second round of the 2016-17 playoffs. Nevertheless, such was far from the case and one of the biggest questions facing the Jazz in a season where several players absolutely have to step up is, can they stay healthy?

The organization went to great lengths to ensure that such would be the case by overhauling their training staff which included hiring a new vice president of performance health care in Mike Elliot and a new head athletic trainer in Eric Waters. And while it’s still too early to determine whether or not those two will make a significant difference, it certainly can’t hurt and early signs seem to indicate that it will indeed pay major dividends.

However, a recent report from KSL’s Andy Larsen that ought to make Elliot and Waters’ jobs get off to an easier start while putting the minds of Jazz fans significantly at ease is that the Jazz as a whole are entering training camp completely healthy. That might sound like a basic and almost simple circumstance, but if you recall last season, it was far from the case with both Alec Burks and Derrick Favors.

Today's Jazz Daily! Thabo Sefolsha contributing on both ends, Jerebko thoughts on Utah v. Boston, improving Jazz D: https://t.co/kH7ON8iice — Andy Larsen (@andyblarsen) September 27, 2017

Burks would eventually go on to need yet another surgery while Favors would remain hobbled practically the entire year and neither were anywhere close to as effective as fans or the team had hoped. Therefore, the fact that they, along with the rest of their teammates, are feeling great and at full strength bodes very well for Utah’s upcoming season in comparison to past years.

The injuries have been so frustrating for so many reasons, both at an individual level, as solid and beloved players have missed time, and at a team level, as it has caused Utah’s rhythm and cohesion to struggle. However, as we all collectively knock on wood, it would appear that between a fresh and healthy start to training camp and the revamp of Utah’s training staff, the Jazz could be in for a significantly healthier season in 2017-18.

And that will be an absolute necessity this upcoming season. Although the Jazz were able to nab the fifth seed in the Western Conference last year in spite of all their injury woes, there’s no questioning that with Gordon Hayward off the team and because of the overwhelming adjustments the team will have to go through, their margin for error will be minuscule at best.

Therefore, they’ll need all the health they can get. And as they enter training camp at one hundred percent, if they can stay that way throughout the year, this team could very well outperform expectations by a long shot.