The Utah Jazz were very quiet around free agency, as the team chose not to pursue the big names that could automatically lift them into contention in the rough-and-tumble Western Conference. And seriously, who could blame them?

That Jazz were quiet in the offseason because they already have the pieces in place to become a team on the rise. Utah has depth all over their roster, and now it’s all about letting their pieces jell together to make one cohesive unit.

You don’t see this approach much in today’s NBA. Teams that are on the rebuild often look to make a big splash in the free agency period, hoping that a brand new star will allow them to make a quick transition from also-rans to playoff mainstays. It’s like teams don’t have the time nor the patience anymore to build a legit contender.

But that’s exactly what the Jazz are doing; they are taking their time and letting their stars develop so when the time is right, they will be a feared team again. Gordon Hayward is a killer scorer, and he’s only 25. Rodney Hood hit 42 percent of his threes after the All-Star break and looks like another 15 PPG scorer. Derrick Favors and Alec Burks still have tremendous upside, and Dante Exum and Trey Burke could be a deadly one-two punch.

So the future is looking mighty bright for the Jazz. Will the team be playoff contenders next year? No, they won’t. But don’t be surprised if they make a run at the No. 8 spot, because this team is heading in the right direction. They didn’t need an active offseason, and for that, they deserve an A for standing pat.

Kareem Gantt covers the wide world of sports for Rant Sports. Want to know what’s on his mind? Follow him on Twitter at @kganttwrites.