So I'm managing editor of Salt City Hoops, the ESPN Truehoop affiliate of the Jazz. As you'd imagine, we think about these questions a lot.
The biggest single problem for the team, and it's been this way for the last few years, is that they have no idea how to defend the pick and roll. It's inconsistent, it's ineffective, and it's remarkably easy for the opposing team to create an advantage that they can exploit for a open 3 or drive to the hole. Here's a roundup post we published last week on the topic:
http://saltcityhoops.com/the-jazzs-cont ... -and-roll/
Individually, Trey Burke habitually dies on screens... he might be the worst starting PG defender in the NBA at simply dying on these screens. The team made this a priority for Burke to improve this season, he worked hard on it during training camp and at P3 in Santa Barbara, and it's just made no difference whatsoever. It's a real problem. I asked Burke about his defense after last week's game against Denver, and he said "When I got beat or send my guy into the help, the help wasn't there." IMO, that's not a great perspective for a guard to have, he can't be nonchalant about needing help from his bigs.
That being said, Trey's a little bit right: the bigs haven't been helping well either. Gobert is the exception here: he's clearly a game-changer defensively, and does actively dissuade opponents from shooting at the rim, as well as lowering the efficiency of those attempts in a Hibbert-esque way. Favors is decent, and gets a pretty good number of blocks, but doesn't have the impact Gobert has. Kanter is a clear negative. He often does wildly different things on the pick and roll D, hedges incorrectly, and doesn't have the mobility or athleticism to help or make up for mistakes. It's face-palm worthy at times.
The offense isn't bad, IMO. I'll take 15th on ORtg for a team without a superstar and with only 1-2 decent shooters in the rotation.
Quin Snyder, IMO, has the right sort of long-term perspective about this team: he's not about wins and losses right now, but skill development in his key players. I think we're seeing definite signs of that with Favors and Hayward, who have taken large leaps this season.
As for the future, I don't think there's any way Kanter is back with the Jazz in 15-16, I wouldn't be surprised to see him traded sooner. I think Exum eventually takes Burke's starting spot, maybe as soon as the end of this season. Burks/Hayward/Favors all just signed long term extensions. This may be the offseason where the Jazz go for their "David West" acquisition, a win-contributing veteran presence. Re-acquiring Paul Millsap this offseason would make a ton of sense.