Summer began Thursday for the Utah Jazz. Whether the franchise is about to experience its first winter in two decades depends greatly upon the next five months.

Thirteen players wore Jazz uniforms during a relatively successful 47-win season, and two more spent the six months rehabilitating injuries. But as many as nine of those players could be elsewhere when camp opens in October, including three starters. Then there's the coach, one of only three men to lead the Jazz since the team moved to Salt Lake City in 1979, who has been decidedly noncommittal about whether he will return.