We’re nearing the quietest part of the NBA offseason. But just because the league gets quiet, doesn’t mean there aren’t questions stirring in the minds of the fans. So, I’ve opened up the mailbag to answer questions that some of the Utah Jazz faithful have sent in.
The question that I’ve been getting asked the most lately is what I think will be the starting lineup on opening night of the 2025-26 season.
What do you think the starting lineup will be on opening night?
— kennyachter.bsky.social (@kennyachter.bsky.social) July 23, 2025 at 5:08 PM
More than any other season, I think training camp is going to play a big part in who gets the opening night nod. But, I definitely have my suspicions and opinions. Right now, it’s easy to say Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler will be starters, and I think there’s a good chance that Kyle Filipowski could start at the four on opening night. If I had to make a prediction today on the backcourt, I’d probably say Isaiah Collier and Brice Sensabaugh.
But, there are a lot of things that could change between now and opening night. And there are even more things that could change after opening night. I’m going to be very, very interested in how Walter Clayton Jr. fares, especially as it pertains to the point guard position, which is in no way spoken for in any permanent way. And, I wouldn’t be shocked if there was some experimentation with Ace Bailey at point, which I would be in favor of seeing.
I’m also interested to see how Keyonte George is used and whether Jazz coach Will Hardy tries to use him as a starter or wants to see how he operates in more of a solidified sixth-man role.
Then, as the season progresses, where does Taylor Hendricks fit into all of this. I expect the Jazz are going to bring him along slowly and give him time to really get his sea legs under him again, but he’ll be competing for minutes with Filipowski, who has had an incredible offseason. And where does Bailey fit in best? Is he a combo guard? Is he a three? How versatile is he? How ready is he?
A lot of questions for a lot of players and a lot of time between now and opening night.
Another question I’ve been asked a lot lately pertains to Walker Kessler, who is extension eligible this summer, but the Jazz could also wait and deal with his contract next summer when he is a restricted free agent.
What’s the deal on Kessler? They still looking to move him or they playing the restricted free agency game?
— Cavs: the Blog (@cavstheblog.bsky.social) July 23, 2025 at 4:20 PM
I fully anticipate the Jazz waiting to make a decision here. I don’t think we’ll be getting news that the Jazz have signed him to a big, long extension before the 2025-26 season starts. I think they want to see more from him through the year before they commit to a number. And since it’s a restricted free agency situation, they can do that without much risk.
Of course, the biggest risk from a team perspective is that Kessler has an incredible season and will have a much larger price tag than he would now, but, that’s probably a risk that the team is willing to take. Meanwhile, the option to trade will always be on the table (as it is with every player on this roster).
What are your current probabilities on Cody and Brice getting their 3rd and 4th year options picked up?
— Samus is Here (@samusishere.bsky.social) July 23, 2025 at 4:25 PM
On these rookie scale contracts, the decisions for picking up team options have to be made a year in advance. So by this Halloween, the Jazz have to decide if they want to guarantee the 2026-27 salaries for players like Brice Sensabaugh and Cody Williams.
I think in both cases the Jazz are going to pick up the options without much hesitation. Hendricks missed nearly the entirety of last year and there is a lot of hope that he can still pop and be a really valuable player. That will probably be the easy swing.
Williams will probably come with a tiny bit more hesitation considering his early struggles, but he’s still so young, so raw and has a ton of room to grow and prove doubters wrong. While the contract is still on the small side, you might as well get a good and informed look at what the player can become. So even if there is minor hesitation, I still expect the Jazz to pick up the option.
Hoop Venue did an awesome breakdown on 5 players who could have breakout years and how they could make it happen— 2 of his 5 were Jazz players Filipowski and Sensabaugh. Curious of your take (if you get a chance to watch it).
— nba-draftnerd.bsky.social (@nba-draftnerd.bsky.social) July 22, 2025 at 3:00 PM
I took the time to watch the video mentioned above, appreciated the thought that went into making it and certainly am willing to give my opinion on the two Jazz players — Kyle Filipowski and Brice Sensabaugh — that were noted as having potential for a breakout season.
The video’s creator, Tyler Britton, outlines three criteria necessary for someone to be considered in his list of players that could have a breakout season — opportunity to improve, a standout skill or superpower and potential swing skills.
Without even watching the parts of the video pertaining to Filipowski and Sensabaugh, it was clear how both players would fit the bill.
Filipowski’s overall offensive game is his superpower. He’s a 6-foot-11 guy who can help space the offense with shooting, can put the ball on the floor, is a great passer and is a threat at all three levels. Sensabaugh’s super power is his shooting, without question. As for opportunity, there’s no better place than with the Utah Jazz for opportunity to prove your mettle as a basketball player right now. All of the young players have an open runway.
With both players, it’s their defense that needs desperate improvement. Currently, they aren’t just in need of a bit of a boost on defense. They’re bad on that side of the ball — not good at all. And Britton’s video was correct in the assessment of their defensive shortcomings.
I disagree slightly with some of the more hyperbolic language in the video (I’m not ready to say that some defense and free throws could make Sensabaugh a 30-minute player on a playoff team and put him at an All-Star level) but mostly agree with the conclusion that both players have the necessary tools for a breakout season.
Where I think some nuance is deserved is in describing the path for both players to improve. So, here’s the nuance:
Filipowski is in desperate need of strength across the board. I think that lower body and core strength will give him way more confidence using his body hedging and when he’s playing against switches or angles on screens. Upper and lower body strength would give him more confidence against the stronger players who currently post him and back him down with ease.
Even with improved strength, I think the most likely path of success for Filipowski is at the four rather than playing center. He will probably still swing between the two a little bit, but I expect he’ll play more four this coming season, and in that position it’s going to require more speed from him. So we’re talking about speed, strength and dexterity. That’s what he needs to focus on.
With Sensabaugh, I definitely think that continuing to improve his conditioning will help, but he might need to focus more on the mental side of training. He’s not a fast player in any area of the game — his shot, his drives, his defense are all on the slow side. But that’s OK! There are plenty of players who learn to impact the game efficiently without being nimble and quick. You all remember Joe Ingles, right?
Sensabaugh has great feel for the game and when he does make defensive moves you can see that he does so because of his IQ rather than his athleticism. He should lean into that as a strength. It probably will require more film work than the other players and a real dedication to knowing personnel, but that’s a way that he can learn to have a passable or positive impact on defense.
From my buddy Dan:
“How will the Jazz use their $26 mil trade exception from the John Collins trade?”
— Olman Feelyus (@walkerp.bsky.social) July 22, 2025 at 1:58 PM
The Jazz got a huge trade exception when they sent John Collins to the Clippers and I think the most important aspect of this is not only the size (north of $26 million) but the timing.
Trade exceptions are good for exactly one calendar year. But, since Collins was traded after the draft and after the opening of free agency, that gives the Jazz a really nice window to work in if they wanted to use it.
When a team has a trade exception it allows them to take on a player or players whose salaries fit into the exception amount, even if that means going above the cap. Now, some teams will let exceptions expire, and it’s an easy way to get money off the books. But some teams, who are looking to make a big push for players that would normally be out of their price range, can use the exception to make significant changes.
This coming season should, in theory, be the final tanking season for the Jazz, which could mean some really big changes are on the horizon. But, they’re still a ways away from contention so maybe using it on big names right away wouldn’t be the best move. That’s my longwinded way of saying, I’m not sure what the plans are, but the one-year window is really nice.
Utah Jazz CEO Danny Ainge and Taylor Hendricks talk as they and Keyonte George watch the Utah Jazz summer league game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Huntsman Center at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News