Utah Jazz: Derrick Favors Aims to Reach Next Step

Derrick Favors expressed lofty goals for the Utah Jazz this upcoming season, which largely depend on his own personal improvement.

Much has been made of the improved squad the Utah Jazz will put on the court next season and the number of factors that could help them finally shatter their potential and reach new heights. These factors include the oft mentioned additional veteran leadership of George Hill, Joe Johnson and Boris Diaw, as well as the return to health of Alec Burks and Dante Exum.

But one of the key contributing factors to the Jazz’s success next season is one that hasn’t been brought up or emphasized nearly as much — the improvement of Derrick Favors.

Despite being relatively soft-spoken, Favors was loud and clear in his key media day message that the team is “ready to take the next step now.”

While that’s probably true, it’s also something that Utah can’t do without him.

While Favors has improved year over year during his time with the Jazz, he will need to elevate his game even further from a “16 points, eight rebounds guy” to more of a 20-10 guy. In fact, in his media day interview with Ron Boone and David Locke, he was asked if he would be content with simply maintaining his current averages and status in the league over the course of his career, to which he emphatically replied, “That’s not enough for me.”

He went on to say, “I’ve learned a lot since I got here. Every year I try to add something to my game.”

And Favors will have to add significantly more to his game if he hopes to be one of the leaders that helps the Jazz take that next step that he alluded to. He spoke in media day about one of the ways he intends to do this, by improving his body.

“I’ve learned a lot since I got here. Every year I try to add something to my game.” – Derrick Favors

He discussed how he has gotten stronger this offseason and focused heavily on conditioning to help avoid injuries, an issue that certainly plagued him last year.

Favors also was asked several times about the work he’s put in on extending his range. While he made it clear that he wasn’t actively focusing on becoming a stretch-four (he went as far as to say, “It’s not that important to me to add a three-point shot to my game.”), he did say that improving his 15 to 18-foot jump shot was key.

Despite being asked frequently about adding a consistent three-point shot to his arsenal, Favors replied matter-of-factly by saying “I know where I’m more effective at.”

Though he did spend time this summer working with former Jazz great Mehmet Okur on his shooting, rather than emphasize the deep ball he’s more focused on improving his post game and mid-range shot, where he’s most comfortable and dangerous. When asked how he felt about his range currently, he said,

“I’m feeling great about it. Paul [Millsap] is one of the guys I learned a lot from. And that was one of the things I learned from him is [to] add something new to your game every year.”

Though the three-point shot might not exactly be the new element he’s bringing this year, fans shouldn’t be surprised to see an improved jump shot out of Favors. And while many teams are trending towards going small and relying on a stretch-four, with Favors and Rudy Gobert clogging the paint, the Jazz have clearly found their niche by bucking the trend.

Yet, while strength, a solid mid-range game and increased abilities in the post are all important factors to Favors’ and the team’s success, perhaps even more important is a point that Coach Snyder and Dennis Lindsey specifically approached Favors about — becoming more of a leader.

Favors may not be as outspoken or overly expressive as some players that are considered leaders, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t possess key traits that allow him to embrace a leadership role. After the Jazz’s second official day of practice, Andy Larsen of KSL reported Quin Snyder saying,

“He’s been terrific. His attitude has been very, very positive in a lot of situations. Derrick has a great capacity to feel. There’s a depth to him as a person. Sometimes, the fact [is] that he can be quiet in certain situations, but he’s very aware. There’s a confidence about him that comes from him. I like what I’ve seen, and I like what I’ve heard.”

This is high praise from Coach Snyder who made it clear that Favors can be a leader in the way that best suits him. He doesn’t have to be anybody but himself in order to be an effective leader.

“Derrick has a great capacity to feel. There’s a depth to him as a person. Sometimes, the fact [is] that he can be quiet in certain situations, but he’s very aware.” – Quin Snyder

True, Favors has more veteran talent around him now than he has at any other point in his career, but that doesn’t erase the fact that he is one of the most talented players on the team and has to set the tone for his teammates both on the court and in the locker room. As he elevates his game and inspires his teammates to aim for the lofty goals he has set for both himself and the team, he will be well on his way to becoming the kind of leader the Jazz need.

When Faves was on last year, he was an absolute monster on both ends of the court. If he can ramp up that consistency, it will more than make up for his perceived timidness or lack of vocal leadership as he commits himself to lead by example.

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So Derrick Favors may feel confident that the team is “ready to take the next step now” and he very well should. But in order for them to do so, he will have to also take that next step individually himself.

And based on the confidence he displayed in media day, he certainly seems poised to do just that.