The Jazz have the 5th highest all-time NBA regular season record win-loss percentage at .539%

The Jazz acquired the Grizzlies’ all-time leader in points scored, steals and assists in Mike Conley

Conley has never been called for a technical foul in his entire career – including one being rescinded

The Jazz will likely start with Conley, Mitchell, Ingles, Bogdanovic and Gobert who are quite possibly the best starting group in the NBA

Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Gobert will attempt to be only the second person in history to win it three straight times

After a solid 2018-19 season winning 50+ games for the second time in three seasons, Utah’s off-season transactions have played them right into contention as a dark horse to hold aloft the 2020 NBA Championship trophy.

With the talent at Synder’s disposal the Jazz can expect to make a deep run into the playoffs. Let’s take a look at three reasons why the Jazz can win this season’s NBA Championship:

The Mike Conley Effect

Mike Conley was acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies via a trade, sending Grayson Allen, Jae Crowder, Kyle Korver, Darius Bazley and an unprotected 2020 draft pick the other way.

The Jazz will be getting the Grizzlies’ all-time leader in games played, points scored, steals, assists, field goals and 3-pointers made, where he helped Memphis to seven consecutive playoff berths.

Conley will strengthens a few weaknesses for the Jazz, with his play making, 3-point shooting and clutch play. He’s also a master at the pick and roll, and finishing at the rim making him a dangerous addition.

Conley’s character will be an even greater asset for the franchise. He’ll complement an already harmonic dressing room with his leadership and team first mentality which could be the difference in a tight playoff finals series.

The Jazz will relish not having to lineup against Mike Conley. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

The Squad

Utah has one of the best coaches in the NBA flying under the radar in Quin Snyder. He’s developed two-time and current reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Ruby Gobert, who will lead the defence for the Jazz.

That should leave the Jazz with a starting five of Conley, Donovan Mitchell, Joe Ingles, Bogdanovic and Rudy Gobert, a group that could easily be one of the best starting groups in the NBA.

Conley’s steady play making ability should fit right into Quin Snyder’s system and is an upgrade in shooting and scoring to Ricky Rubio. Mike Conley will complement rising star Donovan Mitchell and will give the Jazz one of the best backcourts in the league.

Likely Utah Jazz starting lineup for the 2019-20 season.

Defence Wins Championships

Rudy Gobert has been the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year two years running and he’ll be hungry to be only the second person in history after Dwight Howard to win it three years straight.

He’s also only 27 so he’s just entering the prime of his career and the identity and success of the team has been based and built around Gobert.

His insane reach and lateral quickness leads to intense screens and his ability to close opposition on the perimeter, while recover in the paint, has allowed the Jazz and their offence to open up.

Last season Gobert averaged a league leading 6.0 screen assists and 13.8 screen assist points per game. That’s more than Eric Bledsoe, Stephen Curry and Lonzo Ball generating on conventional assists.

Gobert is a 63% free-throw shooter and Derrick Favors was often preferred over Gobert in late game situations due to being able to find the open man when driving to the paint.

If Gobert can improve on those assets of his game, that might just be the extra bit missing for the Jazz to turn themselves from contender status to champions.