The Utah Jazz have a problem. Well, not really a problem, more of a tough decision. The Jazz have to decide what to do with their starting lineup, and it’s not a simple thing.
Keyonte George, Lauri Markkanen, and Jaren Jackson Jr. are going to start. They’re the three players Utah has invested in with big, long-term contracts. They’re also the most reliable players on the team. It would be pretty shocking if they didn’t start.
Now, three players have a case for starting, but the Jazz have to decide
which one to bench. You can probably guess, but those three players are Darryn Peterson, Ace Bailey, and Jusuf Nurkic. There’s an outside chance that one of Svi Mykhailiuk, Josh Okogie, or potentially Kyle Filipowski might start. At the risk of looking foolish, I’m guessing neither of them, nor anyone else on the roster like Brice Sensabaugh, is starting on opening night. With that said, let’s look at Peterson, Bailey, and Nurkic and what they might bring to the starting lineup.
Jusuf Nurkic
With the Walker Kessler trade, Utah lost their for-sure starting center. Now the Jazz have to decide who replaces Walker Kessler. Is it Jaren Jackson Jr. or do they keep Jaren Jackson Jr. at power forward and have Nurkic start at center? Nurkic proved he’s a good passer and screener on offense, and a high-level rebounder on defense. He doesn’t provide the rim protection that Kessler did, but he solves the Jazz’s rebounding issue with Jaren Jackson Jr. in the front court.
Ace Bailey
Probably the most interesting bit of information from my podcast with Shreyas Laddha yesterday was the revelation that the Jazz have been impressed with Ace Bailey’s defense in offseason workouts. That alone is a huge selling point to have Bailey start. Utah’s defense has been one of the worst in the league the last four years, and having a huge, athletic, defensive wing would be huge for the team. When you combine that with the upside, there’s a reason Jazz fans are excited about his potential ceiling. If Bailey comes into training camp and is ready to be more consistent with his offensive game and is looking like a high-level defender, it’ll be hard not to want him on the floor as much as possible.
Darryn Peterson
He’s the #2 pick in one of the most vaunted drafts this millennium. His skill set is incredibly advanced for his age, and he looks like he’s going to be an absolute star for the Jazz. But is he ready? I was impressed by what Shreyas told me about Peterson in college and what he thought Peterson could actually show more of, and that was his defense. With an injury-riddled season at Kansas, the thing that might improve more than anything is Peterson’s defensive ability. If he can tone down the turnovers we saw in summer league, play high-level defense, and score at an elite level, how do you not have him on the floor? Donovan Mitchell didn’t consistently start until game 12 of his rookie season. Peterson is a more highly touted prospect with a more developed game coming into the league. If he’s ready to go come day 1, how do you not start him?
All this leads to a difficult decision for the Jazz. If it were up to you, who would you be starting?
Just a reminder that the SB Nation app is now live. It’s a great way to follow all of your teams, not just the Jazz but the NFL and others. If you’re like me, you can read about how bad the Packers’ offensive line is week after week! Jokes aside, I’ve really enjoyed it, and it’s a great way to follow the Jazz and other teams all in one place.
