Every NBA team’s biggest question mark for the 2021-22 season

Utah Jazz: Can Mike Conley hold up for a full season?

The history of small point guards thriving in the NBA after the age of 30 is mixed, at best. That makes Conley, who will enter this season at the grizzled age of 34 somewhat of a question mark for the Jazz.

Conley’s lengthy injury history is also a concern for officials in Utah. He’s been pretty good when he’s played for the Jazz, but he’s always a solid bet to miss a significant chunk of the season. Anytime Conley sits, Quin Snyder’s forced to put the ball into Jordan Clarkson’s hands far too often.

The key for the Jazz will be to manage Conley’s workload to make sure he’s a full-go when the postseason rolls around. This team has too much talent to be overly concerned with their regular-season record. Acquiring homecourt advantage in Round 1 should be the only requirement worth pushing for.

That means Conley should get a lot of load management over the course of an arduous 82-game campaign. That’s the best way to maximize the veteran point guard. Just how Utah manages his workload will have serious repercussions come playoff time.