League Pass teams of 2023-24 NBA season to keep an eye on
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I truly think that the Utah Jazz are one of the most exciting teams in the NBA right now and they are a team to watch as they continue to make progress after rebuilding the roster.
They’re young and hopeful and there are a lot of unknowns, which makes them exciting. But of course, that doesn’t mean a ton of national attention, which is the case for quite a few of the exciting up-and-coming teams in the NBA.
So, here are my five League Pass teams of the 2023-24 season (not including the Jazz):
San Antonio Spurs
OK, the Spurs will have 19 nationally televised games this season, which is more than the usual League Pass team has, but that still means that 63 of their games won’t be on national TV.
I don’t know what Victor Wembanyama is going to turn into and I don’t know how long it will take for his potential to be realized, but I want to see as much of the journey as I can.
Plus, the Spurs are looking like they’re going to be a lot of fun. It’s not just Wemby. They’ve got Jeremy Sochan, Devin Vassell and a bunch of other fun players who could have long and illustrious careers.
Oklahoma City Thunder
They were already a fun team with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander having an MVP-type season last year alongside Lu Dort, Josh Giddey and Jalen Williams.
Well now we get to see what they look like with Chet Holmgren, Victor Oladipo, Cason Wallace and more.
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Detroit Pistons
I know Jazz fans want to see good things happen to Bojan Bogdanovic, and while this is probably not going to be a championship contending Pistons team, it will be fun to watch.
Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren are joined by rookie Ausar Thompson and will have the help of Joe Harris and Alec Burks, which should at the very least make for some exciting games.
Indiana Pacers
I have no idea if the Pacers are going to be good. But Tyrese Haliburton and Benedict Mathurin were a joy to watch last year .
Indiana added NBA champion Bruce Brown and highly touted rookie Jarace Walker to the ranks for the upcoming season.
Orlando Magic
It is really hard for me to imagine the Magic being any good. I still think they are a long way from being a team that can contend for something real. I’d love to be proven wrong, but no matter where they end up, this is a fun roster.
With Paulo Banchero leading the way, the Magic also have Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter Jr., Markelle Fultz and rookies Anthony Black and Jett Howard.
They could have a ton of growing pains and bad games, but they could also be one of the most exciting teams in the league.
Programming note: The Jazz Insiders newsletter will be off next week.
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How to pass the offseason
I’ve given myself a goal of learning how to make a new food every offseason. This year, I’m learning how to make pasta from scratch. Or at least, I’m going to (the offseason isn’t over yet!).
Learning how to make a new food is always a good way to spend time. It can be fun for the whole family to get involved or it can be therapeutic as a solitary activity. And the payoff is that there is a delicious new thing to eat that you can be proud of.
At some point between now and the end of October, I will be eating perfectly cooked homemade pasta and I’ll be proud of it. Either that or I will learn that I’m horrible at making pasta and that I don’t like doing it. Either way, I’m going to learn something new.
From the archives
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Jazz rookies Keyonte George and Taylor Hendricks cleared to resume all on-court activity
Sunday games at the Delta Center: Utah Jazz 2023-24 schedule released
Extra points
How former BYU star Eric Mika helped Team USA prepare for World Cup (Deseret News)
2023-24 Utah Jazz schedule highlights: Quin Snyder’s return and more (Deseret News)
Non-Jazz games fans should circle on their calendar (Deseret News)
Around the league
Team USA survives tough test against Montenegro in World Cup.
Bronny James expected to make full recovery after cardiac arrest.
Center JaVale McGee to sign with Sacramento Kings.
