Utah

Where do the Utah Jazz historically rank among all NBA Franchises?

Published

2 years ago

September 23, 2024

Where do the Utah Jazz historically rank among all NBA Franchises?

There is and will always be debate among Utah Jazz fans about how good the franchise is compared to other NBA franchises. There are many ways to rank and compare NBA franchises, like who has more total championships, a better total regular season win percentage, more amazing playoff moments, and so on. You can even consider whose all-time starting 5 would be better. Total championships is a flawed way to rank franchises, do people really think the Toronto Raptors are a better franchise than the Phoenix Suns, or that the Washington Wizards are better than the Utah Jazz? The Wizards have not been close to being a title contender for 40 years, success in the 70’s should not completely trump their failures from the 80s until now.

Today, I propose a new and I’ll be even so bold as to say, a better way to compare NBA franchises. Through statistics, emotions, and bias are not considered. While stats are not perfect, particularly this new one, they are better measuring sticks than opinions vs opinions.

True Franchise Success or TFS

Skip this paragraph if you don’t want to worry about the details of the statistics but want to see each franchise’s ranking.

Franchise Success explained. The purpose of the statistic is to consider each franchise’s success by measuring their amount of playoff appearances and how many rounds they advanced throughout their history. A Playoff Appearance per season is worth 1 point, 2nd round worth 2, 3rd Round worth 3, Finals Appearance worth 4, and Finals worth 5 points. Example. in 2024, the Celtics got 5 points, Mavericks 4, Pacers 3, Nuggets 2, Magic 1. In earlier NBA years, there were sometimes only 3 or 2 rounds. Points are kept by how many rounds they won (a finals appearance is always worth 4 points, and a championship is always worth 5 points). For example, in 1970, the Hawks got 2 points despite being in the semi-finals, but the Lakers got 4 points for a finals appearance and the Knicks got 5 points for the championship. Play-in or round-robin wins will not count, though winning those leads to a point for a playoff appearance. For example, in 2023, the Bulls did not get a point, but the Hawks got a point. Franchise Success or FS is the total number of points each franchise has. True Franchise Success or TFS is how many points each franchise has divided by how many seasons the franchise is active. Ties are broken by who has more championships, then finals appearances, and so forth. For example, in TFS, the Hawks outrank the Jazz despite their 1.12-point tie because the Hawks have a championship while the Jazz do not. Also, in FS, the Cavaliers outrank the Wizards despite their tie at 50 points and their championship amount tie because the Cavaliers also have 4 finals appearances compared to the Wizards 3. Not counting ABA stats until the NBA officially counts ABA stats. I recognize that TFS does not currently account for the strength of the conference or the number of franchises in the league for each season. For example, in TFS the Hawks outrank the Jazz, but the Hawks glory years were in the 50s compared to the Jazz in the 90s, and the 90s had harder competition than the 50s so the Jazz should be considered a more successful franchise compared to the Hawks. These statistical considerations and others will be introduced into later versions of TFS.

The Utah Jazz’s franchise data

So you can see an example, the Utah Jazz’s data goes like this. 50 Seasons, 31 Playoff Appearances, 14 First Round Exits, 11 2nd Round Exits, 4 3rd Round Exits, 2 Finals Appearances, 0 Championships. 14 + 11(2) + 4(3) + 2(4) + 0(5) = 56. That gives you a total of 56 points divided by 50 (how many Jazz seasons), which comes to 1.12.

True Franchise Success or TFS Ranking for each NBA Franchise

1. Los Angeles Lakers TFS 2.61

Was there ever a question? While the Celtics have 18 championships to the Lakers 17, the Lakers have 15 finals losses compared to the Celtics 5 final losses. TFS works well here, awarding the Lakers for having a whopping total of 32 finals appearances.

2. Boston Celtics TFS 2.29

Like the Lakers not being questioned as the best NBA franchise ever, the Celtics are clearly number 2. Their TFS is 2.29, considerably higher than the 3rd best franchise which is at 1.75.

3. San Antonio Spurs TFS 1.75

The Spurs were the model of success from the late 90s to the late 2010s. Their TFS will go up as Wembanyama has genuine GOAT potential.

4. Miami Heat TFS 1.61

Heat culture and great weather, which have been staples of the franchise’s success for the past 20 years have vaulted Miami to the number 4 spot.

5. Philadelphia 76ers TFS 1.44

While the 76ers have had some struggles over the past 30 years, their dominance in earlier NBA decades helps put them as 5th best franchise ever.

6. Chicago Bulls TFS 1.29

Utah Jazz vs Chicago Bulls, 1998 NBA Finals

Michael Jordan’s dominance in the ‘90s is the main reason the Bulls, a franchise with several years of mediocracy, is ranked as high as they are. While questionable officiating may have played a part in their win over the 1998 Jazz, they certainly still deserve this spot.

7. Golden State Warriors TFS 1.19

Utah Jazz vs Golden State Warriors, 2017 NBA Western Conference Semifinals

While the Warriors have the 3rd most championships ever at 7, their several years of being a bad team hinders their overall ranking.

8. New York Knicks TFS 1.18

The Knick’s dominance in the ‘70s and steadiness in the 50s, ‘80s, and ‘90s are big factors in their ranking, despite a rough 20-year patch before their current team.

9. Phoenix Suns TFS 1.16

1990 Japan Games: Utah Jazz v Phoenix Suns

The Suns are the greatest NBA team to never win a championship, while they have recently seen some bad years, they are historically a steady franchise.

10. Oklahoma City Thunder TFS 1.14

The Thunder will eventually give the Seattle Super Sonics back their franchise history when the Sonics come back to the NBA, which could happen soon. While the franchise’s championship came in a Sonics jersey, the Thunder have done quite well for themselves in their time in Oklahoma. Once the franchise history is only from Oklahoma, the franchise will likely jump into the top 5 for TFS among all NBA franchises.

11. Houston Rockets TFS 1.123

The Rockets TFS is bolstered by Olajuwon’s ability to raise his game in the playoffs. While the Jazz have their best franchise moment against them with 1997 game 6 of the WCF being won by Stockton’s 4th quarter brilliance and game-winner, the Rockets have won their share of the rivalry matchups too.

12. Atlanta Hawks TFS 1.12

The Hawks being ranked 12th is an example of a flaw in the current model of TFS. Their best years came in the 50s, they have not been as dominant from the ‘90s and on, when the NBA was closer to 30 teams and not 8.

13. Utah Jazz TFS 1.12

The Jazz may not be the greatest franchise, but their consistency through the Stockton to Malone years makes them the 2nd greatest franchise to not win a championship. If their finals were not against potentially the greatest dynasty in North American professional team sports in the ‘90s Bulls, the Jazz could have 1 or 2 championships.

14. Milwaukee Bucks TFS 1.11

Kareem, Giannis, and an underrated 80s squad were the Bucks’ driving factors in their TFS ranking.

15. Portland Trailblazers TFS 1.0925

The Blazers have been a consistently competitive franchise, with a minimal number of bad years when compared to other franchises.

16. Detroit Pistons TFS 1.0921

The Pistons are a franchise of extreme highs and lows. Their success in their Bad Boy and 2000s eras are the only reason they are not a top 5 worst franchise in NBA history. Ring counting would put them as an elite franchise but when considering their prolonged years of poor play, they come out as an average franchise.

17. Dallas Mavericks TFS

The Mavericks have been steadily good for 20 years but their struggles in the early 80s and 90s weigh them down.

18. Denver Nuggets TFS 1

The Nuggets should be ranked higher in few years as they have a strong team going forward for seasons to come.

19. Indiana Pacers TFS 1

The Pacers would be ranked much higher if their 3 championships were counted from their ABA days. The NBA should count ABA stats in their history.

20. Cleveland Cavaliers TFS 0.92

If not for LeBron James, the Cavaliers would be a top 3 worst franchise in NBA history.

21. Orlando Magic TFS 0.8

The Magic had 2 brief championship contender teams that have led to 2 finals appearances, perhaps Banchero and Wagner can lead them to other finals in the next few seasons.

22. Washington Wizards TFS 0.794

The Baltimore/DC franchise’s only glory years came in the ‘70s when they were the Bullets. The Wizards are tanking now so expect them to continue to drop down the list in the next seasons.

23. Toronto Raptors 0.793

The Raptors are the 2nd lowest-ranked team to win a championship. Their 90s and 2000s struggles bring their ranking down, along with relative non-playoff success in the 2010s other than their Leonard-led championship team in 2019.

24. Brooklyn Nets TFS 0.75

The Nets, like the Pacers, would benefit from their ABA statistical success being included in their NBA franchise. While they have had potential super teams, they never seem to put it together for a deep playoff run, except for when Jason Kidd led the team.

25. Memphis Grizzlies TFS 0.62

The Grizzlies have mostly been bad or average for their franchise existence. The Grit and Grind era saved them from being even lower on the list.

26. Sacramento Kings TFS 0.59

The Kings are the lowest rank team to have won a championship, which came more than 70 years ago. Since the 70s, the Kings have mainly been a non-playoff team.

27. Los Angeles Clippers TFS 0.48

The Clippers have only made the WCF once in franchise history, which came on the heels of the 2021 Jazz collapsing. The Clippers, like the Kings, have been mired in mediocracy for most of their long franchise history.

28. New Orleans Pelicans TFS 0.478

The Pelicans, which only constitutes New Orleans teams in their franchise history, have never been serious title contenders unless you consider the 08 Hornets better than they are usually considered.

29 Minnesota Timberwolves TFS 0.457

Other than 2 WCF appearances, the T-Wolves have not advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs. Their current team has the potential to continue making noise in the playoffs until the new salary cap rules eat into their core.

30. Charlotte Hornets

The worst current franchise in NBA history. They have never been title contenders, often miss the playoffs, and have never made it to the ECFs. Things need to change for the Hornets to course correct and rise in the franchise ranks.

Final Thoughts

The Jazz are an above-average franchise, despite never winning a championship and having multiple playoff collapses through the years. Their ranking might take a hit these next couple of seasons, but they are positioned to be a top Western Conference contender and potential champion throughout the late 2020s and 2030s. Sit back and enjoy the ride Jazz fans, winning a championship is the ultimate goal, but I’d never trade our franchise history for the Kings, Wizards or Raptors just because they have won it all once.

2024 NBA Salt Lake City Summer League - Memphis Grizzlies v Utah Jazz

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Utah

Mom of two missing Utah boys issues desperate plea after they were allegedly abducted by their dad

Published

7 hours ago

May 26, 2026

Press Room

Mom of two missing Utah boys issues desperate plea after they were allegedly abducted by their dad

A mom to two missing Utah boys has issued a desperate plea amid fears they may have been snatched by their dad, whom authorities have previously described as “seriously depressed.”

Lizzie Tomich’s voice cracked in a social media video as she begged for the safe return of Will Richman, 1, and 10-month-old Wesley, both of whom were last seen on May 16.

“Please, like, share, repost everything,” she said in the video.

Tomich co-parents her two children with Dane Stephen Richman, who lives in Utah, and he collected the brothers from her Sheldon, Washington, home as part of a routine custody exchange but he failed to return them a week later.

Richman, 46, reportedly told Tomich he and the boys were camping, but he pulled out of a deposition custody hearing on Friday, raising alarm.

A welfare check was carried out at Richman’s Saratoga Springs home before authorities issued an Amber Alert.

“At that point, we called the police to do a welfare check on him,” Tomich said.

“When the police arrived, we learned that the house was vacant and there were things being moved out.

“There was no car and Dane and the boys were not home. When we learned this, we knew something was wrong.”

Tomich shared messages she exchanged with Richman, where she asked, “Where are you? Where are the kids right now?”

“With me, I’m driving,” Richman supposedly replied before saying they were “camping.”

Tomich then revealed she arrived at the supposed meet-up location 15 minutes earlier than planned.

“As the time approached, I began calling and texting him asking for an ETA. He did not respond. At, approximately 12: 01 p.m. is when I began to panic and when we called police,” she said.

Tomich’s family lawyer, Brittany Skinner, then interjected, adding, “After further investigation with the police, we learned that Dane’s quit his job.

“He’s sold almost all of his possessions. He has left with almost everything he has, with the clear intention of not returning with these children.”

Tomich’s voice cracked as she begged, “Please, like, share, repost everything, share with your family, share with your friends, anybody you know, they could be anywhere. Please,” revealing that her sons have “infectious smiles.. dimples and blue eyes.”

Richman has been charged with custodial interference, a third-degree felony, but authorities fear he may have crossed into Mexico, KTVX reported.

Cops suspect Richman was likely in Carlsbad, California, on May 18 – and crossed the border the following day.

Authorities said “There is concern for the safety and well-being of the children as the suspect has been seriously depressed, selling possessions, facing financial stress, and abandoned his home,” as they issued the Amber Alert.

But when cops were carrying out the welfare check, it’s since emerged they stopped a “moving truck,” Katie Walters, the brothers’ aunt told KTVX.

“He had completely moved out of his house that the children were supposed to be living in, and the moving truck was just actually pulling out of the driveway, and the police were able to stop the moving truck, and they asked what’s going on,” she said.

“They said they didn’t even know because they never even saw the owner of the home while they were there. They only were communicating via text.”

Addressing Richman, she said, “To Dane, just please be safe. We love you and we love those kids.”

Richman is reportedly driving a black Toyota Camry that has a Utah license plate A561HL, but cops suspect the car is a newer model and it could have a temporary tag.

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Tick sightings near Orem park raise health concerns over holiday weekend

Published

19 hours ago

May 25, 2026

Press Room

Tick sightings near Orem park raise health concerns over holiday weekend

OREM, Utah (KUTV) — Reports of ticks near Orem City Center Park and surrounding neighborhoods are raising concerns among Utah County residents as families spend more time outdoors during the holiday weekend.

The sightings, shared in neighborhood social media posts, appear to show ticks in residential backyards near the park. While ticks are commonly found in Utah during warmer months, health officials warn some species can carry serious diseases.

Susan and Paul Johnson were among many families spending Memorial Day in the area with visiting friends from Japan.

MORE | Ticks

“Isn’t it gorgeous? It’s not too hot, not too cold,” Susan Johnson said.

The family said they spent the morning honoring veterans before heading out to enjoy the weather.

“We went to the cemetery this morning and placed flowers, and now we are here to play in the water, enjoy the sun and be together as a family,” Johnson said.

Utah’s warmer weather brings increased tick activity. The Rocky Mountain wood tick is the species most commonly found in Utah. According to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, the tick is typically active from snowmelt through mid-July and is often found in mountainous terrain.

The species can carry diseases including Colorado tick fever and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Another species, the western black-legged tick, can carry Lyme disease.

The Utah Department of Health and Human Services began statewide tick surveillance efforts in 2020. Officials recommend anyone bitten by a tick monitor for symptoms including fever, rash, fatigue or body aches. Health officials also advise residents to safely collect and store the tick, if possible, for testing and identification.

Johnson said her family takes precautions after spending time outdoors.

“We check ourselves anyway at night,” she said.

Utah has reported a small number of Lyme disease cases in recent years. State health officials said more research is needed to better understand Lyme disease risks in Utah.

Residents are encouraged to wear long sleeves and pants in grassy or wooded areas, use insect repellent and perform tick checks after spending time outside.

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Gusty thunderstorms possible statewide on Memorial Day

Published

1 day ago

May 25, 2026

Press Room

Gusty thunderstorms possible statewide on Memorial Day

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Utah Memorial Day weather statewide starts with partly cloudy skies and pleasant temperatures. As the morning progresses, clouds and light showers will increase across southeast Utah.

Stronger showers and thunderstorms are likely over the south-central mountains from I-70 south from midday through the afternoon.

Storms will produce gusty winds and lightning, but rainfall generally will remain light except over the highest terrain.

Showers will move north through the afternoon across mainly eastern Utah, though a few storms may develop over western Utah.

Once again, gusty winds are possible with these generally dry storms.

Showers are possible over the Uinta Mountains by late evening.

Strong southerly winds are the next weather event in the forecast, beginning Tuesday and continuing through Wednesday across western and southwest Utah.

Critical fire danger remains the main threat as the winds continue drying out already dry vegetation.

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